Paul, continuing to speak with pastoral affection and apostolic concern for the Thessalonian believers after His forced separation from them.
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1 Thessalonians 3
Established in Faith, Encouraged in Love, and Prepared for Christ's Coming
God sustains His suffering church through strengthened faith, overflowing love, mutual encouragement, and holiness fixed on the coming of Christ.
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Going deeper: The Doctrines and Motifs tabs show how this chapter connects to the broader biblical story.
Chapter Summary
God sustains His suffering church through strengthened faith, overflowing love, mutual encouragement, and holiness fixed on the coming of Christ.
Overview
Paul argues pastorally that genuine faith must be strengthened under affliction, protected from temptation, encouraged by faithful ministry, and brought forward into abounding love and holiness in view of Christ's coming.
Context
The Thessalonian church, a young congregation enduring affliction after receiving the gospel and remaining deeply loved by Paul and His coworkers.
Paul had been separated from the Thessalonians and was unable to return personally. Out of concern for their faith under pressure, He sent Timothy from Athens to strengthen and encourage them. Timothy later returned with a good report of their faith and love, bringing deep comfort to Paul.
God sustains His suffering church through strengthened faith, overflowing love, mutual encouragement, and holiness fixed on the coming of Christ.
Paul, continuing to speak with pastoral affection and apostolic concern for the Thessalonian believers after His forced separation from them.
The Thessalonian church, a young congregation enduring affliction after receiving the gospel and remaining deeply loved by Paul and His coworkers.
Paul had been separated from the Thessalonians and was unable to return personally. Out of concern for their faith under pressure, He sent Timothy from Athens to strengthen and encourage them. Timothy later returned with a good report of their faith and love, bringing deep comfort to Paul.
Social Pressure
- The chapter assumes ongoing affliction and pressure against the Thessalonian believers. Paul had warned them that suffering would come, and He feared the tempter might exploit hardship to destabilize their faith.
In a hostile civic and religious environment, allegiance to Christ could create social isolation, public pressure, and opposition. The Thessalonians' continuing faith and love demonstrated that the gospel had taken root beyond initial enthusiasm.
This chapter shows the new covenant church being sustained through affliction by apostolic care, mutual encouragement, persevering faith, growing love, and hope in the coming of the Lord Jesus.
Chapter Movement
Paul recounts His anxious concern, Timothy's strengthening mission, the good report of the Thessalonians' faith and love, Paul's renewed joy, and His prayer that God would increase their love and establish them blameless in holiness at Christ's coming.
Discourse Insight
Theological exposition and fulfillment
The gospel in this chapter is the message of Christ that creates and sustains faith under affliction. It does not promise a life free from suffering, but it establishes believers through encouragement, prayer, love, and hope until they stand holy before God at the coming of the Lord Jesus.
Structural Flow
Paul's love for the Thessalonians leads Him to send Timothy for their strengthening and encouragement.
Affliction is not treated as an accident or a sign of abandonment but as an expected part of faithful discipleship.
Paul recognizes that trials create a field of temptation where the enemy seeks to undermine faith.
Timothy's report shows that the Thessalonians remain steadfast in faith, active in love, and affectionate toward Paul.
The faith of the Thessalonians strengthens Paul in His own distress, showing that pastoral encouragement flows both ways in the body of Christ.
Paul rejoices greatly but still prays to complete what is lacking in their faith, showing that genuine faith still needs strengthening.
Paul's prayer moves from reunion to abounding love to established holiness before God at Christ's coming.
Chapter Outline
- 3:1-2: Paul's separation from the Thessalonians becomes unbearable, so He sends Timothy to stabilize and encourage their faith.
- 3:3-4: The Thessalonians are reminded that suffering was not unexpected · Paul had prepared them for it while He was with them.
- 3:5: Paul's concern centers on whether Satanic temptation might have shaken the believers and rendered apostolic labor fruitless.
- 3:6: Timothy brings good news that the Thessalonians remain steadfast in faith and love and continue to long for Paul.
- 3:7-8: Their faith comforts Paul in His own distress and persecution, making Him say, in effect, that their standing firm gives Him life.
- 3:9-10: Paul gives thanks for the joy their faith brings Him while praying intensely to see them and strengthen what remains immature.
- 3:11-13: Paul prays for God to clear the way for reunion, increase their love, and establish them blameless in holiness before God at the coming of the Lord Jesus.
Theological Argument
Paul argues pastorally that genuine faith must be strengthened under affliction, protected from temptation, encouraged by faithful ministry, and brought forward into abounding love and holiness in view of Christ's coming.
Concern leads to Timothy's mission, Timothy's mission leads to a good report, the good report leads to comfort and thanksgiving, and thanksgiving leads to prayer for mature faith, overflowing love, and eschatological holiness.
- 1.The Thessalonians' affliction creates urgent pastoral concern because suffering can unsettle believers.
- 2.Paul sends Timothy because faith must be strengthened and encouraged, especially under pressure.
- 3.Suffering is expected in Christian discipleship and should not be interpreted as gospel failure.
- 4.The tempter seeks to exploit affliction, so pastoral concern must include spiritual vigilance.
- 5.Timothy's report confirms that the Thessalonians remain marked by faith and love.
- 6.Their steadfast faith comforts Paul in his own distress, showing the mutual nature of Christian encouragement.
- 7.Thanksgiving for genuine faith does not eliminate the need for further strengthening and instruction.
- 8.Paul's prayer aims at increasing love and establishing holiness before God.
- 9.The coming of the Lord Jesus provides the final horizon for present discipleship, pastoral care, and moral formation.
Theological Focus
- Faith strengthened under affliction
- Pastoral care as spiritual vigilance
- Suffering as expected Christian experience
- The tempter's opposition to persevering faith
- Mutual encouragement in the body of Christ
- Faith and love as signs of gospel endurance
- Prayer for continued growth
- Abounding love as a mark of holiness
- Established hearts before God
- The coming of the Lord Jesus as the horizon of sanctification
- Perseverance
- Suffering
- Spiritual Warfare
- Sanctification
- Prayer
- Ecclesiology
- Eschatology
- Christology
Covenant Significance
The chapter portrays the new covenant community as a suffering yet Spirit-sustained people whose faith is strengthened, whose love is increased, and whose hearts are established in holiness as they await the coming of Christ.
Old Testament Connections
- The church is not preserved through ease but through God's strengthening work mediated by faithful ministry and prayer.
- Affliction is placed within the discipleship path of God's covenant people rather than outside God's purposes.
- Faith and love function as evidence of persevering gospel life within the community.
- Paul's prayer for holiness before God shows that new covenant grace forms a people prepared for the final appearing of Christ.
- The coming of the Lord Jesus frames present sanctification as preparation for standing before God.
- The concern for established hearts resonates with Old Testament prayers for steadfastness before the Lord.
- The theme of God's people enduring affliction while remaining faithful reflects the broader biblical pattern of tested covenant loyalty.
- The coming of the Lord with holy ones echoes Old Testament expectations of divine appearing, judgment, and vindication, now centered on the Lord Jesus.
Canonical Connections
Paul's reminder that believers are destined for trials aligns with wider New Testament teaching that suffering accompanies faithfulness to Christ.
Timothy's mission to strengthen and encourage the Thessalonians reflects the apostolic concern to establish churches in the faith.
Paul's concern about the tempter connects the Thessalonians' affliction to the broader biblical pattern of Satanic opposition to faith.
Timothy's report of faith and love parallels other New Testament passages where faith in Christ and love for the saints evidence gospel life.
Paul connects increasing love with holiness, aligning with the biblical pattern that love fulfills God's moral will and shapes holy conduct.
The prayer for blameless holiness at Christ's coming connects present sanctification to final accountability and hope.
Cross References
Gospel Clarity
The gospel in this chapter is the message of Christ that creates and sustains faith under affliction. It does not promise a life free from suffering, but it establishes believers through encouragement, prayer, love, and hope until they stand holy before God at the coming of the Lord Jesus.
Gospel Guardrails
- Timothy's strengthening work is tied to the gospel of Christ.
- The gospel prepares believers to endure affliction rather than be destabilized by it.
- Faith and love are evidence that the gospel continues to bear fruit under pressure.
- The tempter opposes gospel endurance, but God sustains His people through faithful ministry and prayer.
- The gospel aims at established hearts and blameless holiness before God.
- Christ's coming gives the gospel's present work its future horizon.
- Do not preach the gospel as a promise of suffering-free life · Paul prepared believers for affliction.
- Do not treat suffering as spiritually neutral · it can become a context for temptation and must be met with encouragement and truth.
- Do not reduce the gospel to initial conversion · Paul seeks to supply what is lacking in their faith.
- Do not detach holiness from grace · Paul prays for God to strengthen hearts in holiness.
- Do not treat Christ's return as abstract doctrine · it shapes love, endurance, and sanctification now.
Primary Emphasis
1 Thessalonians 3 presents Jesus as Lord alongside the Father in divine action, the coming one before whom believers must be established blameless and holy, and the one whose return gives urgency and direction to pastoral care, faith, love, and sanctification.
Chapter Contribution
Paul argues pastorally that genuine faith must be strengthened under affliction, protected from temptation, encouraged by faithful ministry, and brought forward into abounding love and holiness in view of Christ's coming.
Doctrinal Weight
The Thessalonians' faith must be strengthened under affliction, showing that perseverance is sustained through God's means of encouragement, ministry, and prayer.
Affliction is presented as an expected part of Christian discipleship rather than an exception to God's purposes.
The tempter seeks to exploit affliction to destabilize faith, requiring sober pastoral vigilance.
Paul prays that love would increase and hearts would be strengthened in holiness before God.
Prayer is central to Paul's pastoral care, both for reunion with the church and for the believers' growth in love and holiness.
The church is a mutually encouraging body in which the faith of one group of believers can strengthen another, including their leaders.
The coming of the Lord Jesus provides the horizon for present holiness and pastoral formation.
The Lord Jesus is joined with the Father in Paul's prayer and is the coming Lord before whom believers are to be established blameless and holy.
Reading Lenses
Theological exposition and fulfillment
- The gospel in this chapter is the message of Christ that creates and sustains faith under affliction. It does not promise a life free from suffering, but it establishes believers through encouragement, prayer, love, and hope until they stand holy before God at the coming of the Lord Jesus.
Key Greek Terms
Form in passage Aorist · Active · Infinitive What is this?
Sense establish, strengthen, make firm
Definition To make stable, firm, or strengthened.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:2, 3:13
Lexicon establish, strengthen, make firm
Why it matters Paul sends Timothy to strengthen the Thessalonians' faith and later prays that God would strengthen their hearts in holiness.
Form in passage Aorist · Active · Infinitive What is this?
Sense encourage, exhort, comfort, appeal
Definition To come alongside with strengthening counsel, comfort, or exhortation.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:2
Lexicon encourage, exhort, comfort, appeal
Why it matters Timothy's mission is not merely informational; He is sent to encourage believers so their faith will stand under pressure.
Sense faith, trust, believing allegiance
Definition Trusting reliance upon God in Christ.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:2, 3:5, 3:6, 3:7, 3:10
Lexicon faith, trust, believing allegiance
Why it matters Faith is the central concern of the chapter: it must be strengthened, protected, reported, and supplied where lacking.
Sense to be shaken, disturbed, unsettled
Definition To be disturbed or shaken by pressure.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:3
Lexicon to be shaken, disturbed, unsettled
Why it matters Paul does not want afflictions to destabilize the Thessalonians' faith.
Form in passage Dative · Plural · Feminine What is this?
Sense affliction, distress, tribulation, pressure
Definition Pressure or distress experienced by believers.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4, 3:7
Lexicon affliction, distress, tribulation, pressure
Why it matters Affliction is not surprising in Paul's theology of discipleship; it is expected and must be met with strengthened faith.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Singular What is this?
Sense test, tempt, try
Definition To test or tempt with the aim of exposing or inducing failure.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:5
Lexicon test, tempt, try
Why it matters Paul fears that the tempter may use suffering as an occasion to weaken the Thessalonians' faith.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Singular What is this?
Sense the one who tempts
Definition A title describing Satan as the one who seeks to tempt and destabilize believers.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:5
Lexicon the one who tempts
Why it matters The chapter names the spiritual threat behind affliction without making the believers passive or hopeless.
Form in passage Nominative · Singular · Masculine What is this?
Sense labor, toil, trouble
Definition Difficult or costly work.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:5
Lexicon labor, toil, trouble
Why it matters Paul fears that apostolic labor might prove empty if the Thessalonians abandon the faith, showing the seriousness of perseverance.
Form in passage Aorist · Middle · Participle · Singular What is this?
Sense announce good news, bring glad tidings
Definition To bring a favorable report or proclaim good news.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:6
Lexicon announce good news, bring glad tidings
Why it matters Timothy's report of the Thessalonians' faith and love is described in good-news terms, showing how deeply their perseverance comforts Paul.
Sense self-giving love
Definition Love expressed in covenantal affection and practical care.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:6, 3:12
Lexicon self-giving love
Why it matters Faith and love together confirm that the Thessalonians' gospel life remains active and relational.
Form in passage Accusative · Plural · Neuter What is this?
Sense lack, deficiency, what is missing
Definition That which remains incomplete or needs further supply.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:10
Lexicon lack, deficiency, what is missing
Why it matters Paul rejoices in their faith while recognizing that genuine believers still need further instruction and strengthening.
Form in passage Aorist · Active · Optative · 3rd Person · Singular What is this?
Sense increase, abound, become more
Definition To grow or increase in measure.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:12
Lexicon increase, abound, become more
Why it matters Paul prays that love would not remain static but continue to increase.
Form in passage Aorist · Active · Optative · 3rd Person · Singular What is this?
Sense abound, overflow, exceed
Definition To abound beyond measure.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:12
Lexicon abound, overflow, exceed
Why it matters Christian love is to overflow toward one another and everyone, not remain narrow or merely internal.
Form in passage Accusative · Plural · Feminine What is this?
Sense blameless, without just cause for reproach
Definition A state of being without legitimate charge.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:13
Lexicon blameless, without just cause for reproach
Why it matters Paul prays for believers to stand blameless before God at Christ's coming.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense holiness, consecrated moral purity
Definition The state of being set apart to God in moral purity.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:13
Lexicon holiness, consecrated moral purity
Why it matters The chapter's final prayer shows that strengthened faith and overflowing love aim at holiness before God.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense coming, presence, arrival
Definition The future coming or arrival of the Lord Jesus.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:13
Lexicon coming, presence, arrival
Why it matters Christ's coming is the horizon for Paul's prayer and the church's holiness.
Form in passage Dative · Plural · Feminine What is this?
Definition Pressure, distress, or tribulation.
References 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4, 3:7
Lexicon data: MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML (CC0) · Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0) · Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon (CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible Data (CC BY 4.0) · Full details
Verb Aspect (34 main verbs)
completed 6ongoing 7resultant 2subjunctive 1optative 1background 1infinitive 9participle 7
| v.1 | στέγοντεςstégōbearpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionεὐδοκήσαμενeudokéōdecidedaorist active indicativecompletedAorist indicative — punctiliar or completed actionκαταλειφθῆναιkataleípōleftaorist passive infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verb |
| v.2 | ἐπέμψαμενpémpōsentaorist active indicativecompletedAorist indicative — punctiliar or completed action |
| v.3 | σαίνεσθαιsaínōshakenpresent passive infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbοἴδατεeídōknowperfect active indicativeresultantPerfect indicative — completed action with present resultκείμεθαkeîmaidestinedpresent middle indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truth |
| v.4 | προελέγομενprolégōtold ~ beforehandimperfect active indicativebackgroundImperfect indicative — continuous or repeated past actionμέλλομενméllōwouldpresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truthθλίβεσθαιthlíbōsuffer afflictionpresent passive infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbἐγένετοgínomaihappenedaorist middle indicativecompletedAorist indicative — punctiliar or completed actionοἴδατεeídōknowperfect active indicativeresultantPerfect indicative — completed action with present result |
| v.5 | στέγωνstégōendurepresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionἔπεμψαpémpōsentaorist active indicativecompletedAorist indicative — punctiliar or completed actionγνῶναιginṓskōfind outaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbἐπείρασενpeirázōtemptedaorist active indicativecompletedAorist indicative — punctiliar or completed actionπειράζωνpeirázōtempterpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionγένηταιgínomaibeaorist middle subjunctivesubjunctiveSubjunctive mood — conditional, purpose, or contingent |
| v.6 | ἐλθόντοςérchomaicomeaorist active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionεὐαγγελισαμένουeuangelízōbrought ~ goodnewsaorist middle participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionἔχετεéchōhavepresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truthἐπιποθοῦντεςepipothéōlongpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionἰδεῖνhoráōseeaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verb |
| v.7 | παρεκλήθημενparakaléōcomfortedaorist passive indicativecompletedAorist indicative — punctiliar or completed action |
| v.8 | ζῶμενzáōlivepresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truthστήκετεstḗkōstand firmpresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truth |
| v.9 | δυνάμεθαdýnamaicanpresent middle indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truthἀνταποδοῦναιreturnaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbχαίρομενchaírōrejoicepresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truth |
| v.10 | δεόμενοιdéomaipraypresent middle participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionἰδεῖνhoráōseeaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbκαταρτίσαιkatartízōcompleteaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verb |
| v.11 | κατευθύναιkateuthýnōdirectaorist active optativeoptativeOptative mood — wish or remote possibility |
| v.13 | στηρίξαιstērízōestablishaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verb |
Verb forms indicate aspect — not interpretive weight. Consult context before drawing conclusions about emphasis.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Formation Focus
God strengthens His people under affliction through gospel ministry, mutual encouragement, persevering faith, abounding love, and prayer aimed at holiness before Christ's coming.
The church must not leave suffering believers unattended, must not underestimate temptation under pressure, and must not settle for initial faith when God calls His people into increasing love and established holiness.
Steadfast, encouraged, spiritually alert, loving, prayerful, holy believers whose hearts are strengthened before God in view of Christ's return.
Practice Response
- Prepare believers biblically for affliction before they enter it.
- Send encouragement and strengthening to those under pressure rather than assuming they are fine.
- Name the tempter's strategy without becoming fear-driven or speculative.
- Give thanks for reports of faith and love in the church.
- Pray earnestly for growth where faith still lacks maturity.
- Ask God to make love increase and overflow beyond natural limits.
- Connect holiness to the coming of Christ in teaching, counseling, and discipleship.
Warnings and Misreadings
- The chapter warns that affliction can unsettle believers and become an occasion for temptation. It also warns against assuming that initial faith requires no further strengthening. The church must not be naive about suffering, Satanic opposition, or the need for continued growth in faith, love, and holiness.
- Assuming suffering means believers are outside God's will. - Paul explicitly reminds the Thessalonians that they were told afflictions would come · suffering is not proof of divine abandonment.
- Treating pastoral concern as anxiety without faith. - Paul's concern leads to faithful action, sending Timothy, praying earnestly, and seeking the church's strengthening.
- Thinking genuine faith no longer needs strengthening. - Paul rejoices in their faith while still praying to supply what is lacking in it.
- Reducing Satanic temptation to dramatic or obvious attacks only. - In this chapter, the tempter's threat is tied to destabilizing believers through affliction and pressure.
- Separating love from holiness. - Paul prays for love to increase and overflow so that their hearts may be strengthened in holiness.
- Treating Christ's coming as a topic for curiosity rather than formation. - Paul connects Christ's coming to present love, strengthened hearts, and blameless holiness before God.
Discipleship Questions
- When affliction comes, do we interpret it through Scripture or through fear?
- Where does our faith need strengthening so that pressure does not unsettle us?
- How might the tempter be using discouragement, isolation, or suffering to weaken trust in Christ?
- Who has God sent into our lives to strengthen and encourage us in faith?
- Are we giving thanks when we see faith and love persevering in others?
- Do we assume that genuine faith is mature faith, or are we still seeking growth?
- Is our love increasing and overflowing, or has suffering made us inward and guarded?
- Does the coming of the Lord Jesus shape our pursuit of holiness today?
Pastoral Applications
- Believers should be prepared for affliction before it comes so that suffering does not become a theological shock.
- Faithful shepherding does not wait passively while believers suffer. It sends help, strengthens faith, encourages endurance, and prays earnestly.
- The church must recognize that temptation often works through discouragement, pressure, isolation, and fear during trials.
- Reports of faithfulness in others can comfort and strengthen leaders and congregations who are themselves under pressure.
- Thanksgiving for genuine faith should be joined to prayer for continued maturity.
- Christian love must not merely remain stable under pressure · it should increase and overflow.
- Holiness is not detached moralism but the strengthening of the heart before God in view of Christ's coming.
Pastoral Trajectories
Paul's burden for the church becomes concrete ministry through Timothy's strengthening visit.
Trials threaten to unsettle believers, but faith can be strengthened through encouragement, truth, and prayer.
Paul's fear concerning the tempter is answered by Timothy's report of faith and love.
Paul's joy over the Thessalonians does not end in celebration alone but moves into prayer for deeper maturity.
Increasing and overflowing love is connected to hearts established blameless and holy before God.
The church's present endurance is framed by the coming of the Lord Jesus with all His holy ones.
The Biblical World
Chapter At A Glance
Paul recounts His anxious concern, Timothy's strengthening mission, the good report of the Thessalonians' faith and love, Paul's renewed joy, and His prayer that God would increase their love and establish them blameless in holiness at Christ's coming.
The chapter portrays the new covenant community as a suffering yet Spirit-sustained people whose faith is strengthened, whose love is increased, and whose hearts are established in holiness as they await the coming of Christ.
The gospel in this chapter is the message of Christ that creates and sustains faith under affliction. It does not promise a life free from suffering, but it establishes believers through encouragement, prayer, love, and hope until they stand holy before God at the coming of the Lord Jesus.
Steadfast, encouraged, spiritually alert, loving, prayerful, holy believers whose hearts are strengthened before God in view of Christ's return.
Focus Points
- Faith strengthened under affliction
- Pastoral care as spiritual vigilance
- Suffering as expected Christian experience
- The tempter's opposition to persevering faith
- Mutual encouragement in the body of Christ
- Faith and love as signs of gospel endurance
- Prayer for continued growth
- Abounding love as a mark of holiness
- Established hearts before God
- The coming of the Lord Jesus as the horizon of sanctification
- Perseverance
- Suffering
- Spiritual Warfare
- Sanctification
- Prayer
- Ecclesiology
- Eschatology
- Christology
Explore Further
Cross References
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. Paul, as was His custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I...
Historical background
After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy, with His wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them, and because He practiced the same trade, He lived with them and worked, for by trade they...
Historical movement
Remembering without ceasing Your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
Same-book theme
But we, brothers, being bereaved of You for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see Your face with great desire, because we wanted to come to You—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even You, before our Lord Jesus at His coming?
Immediate context
Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort You in the Lord Jesus, that as You received from us how You ought to walk and to please God, that You abound more and more. For You know what instructions we gave You through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God: Your sanctification, that You abstain from sexual immorality,
Same-book continuation
May the God of peace Himself sanctify You completely. May Your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls You is faithful, who will also do it.
Same-book holiness prayer
Strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.
Affliction and discipleship
The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have all of You, that He might sift You as wheat, but I prayed for You, that Your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once You have turned again, establish Your brothers.”
Temptation and strengthening
This I pray, that Your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment, so that You may approve the things that are excellent, that You may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Love and holiness
Final blamelessness