PastorGentle nurture

1 Thessalonians 2 — Greek text and reception

Saints Translation: 1 Thessalonians 1–5 [V2]

Each card preserves the Greek reading and its textual and reception notes. This source provides a Greek study edition; Hebrew counterparts and Hebrew–Greek classifications are not supplied.

1 Thessalonians 2

The messengers’ conduct

Verse 2:1

Greek–English Translation

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our entrance to you has not been empty.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Entrance (eisodos) repeats 1:9. The perfect expression has not been empty describes the visit’s continuing significance, rather than denying that it involved suffering. Reception: R05.

Verse 2:2

Greek–English Translation

But after we had already suffered and been shamefully treated in Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much struggle.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Previous suffering and humiliating treatment are located in Philippi; bold speech occurs in God amid much struggle. The source does not name a particular civil charge or identify every later danger. Reception: R05.

Verse 2:3

Greek–English Translation

For our appeal does not come from error or impurity, nor is it made in deceit.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The appeal is denied three discreditable features: error, impurity, and deceit. The first two describe its source or motive, while in deceit describes its manner. Reception: R05.

Verse 2:4

Greek–English Translation

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, pleasing not people but God, who tests our hearts.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Approved and tests come from the same testing verb (dokimazō). God entrusts the gospel and examines hearts; pleasing Him contrasts with making human approval the governing aim. Reception: R05.

Verse 2:5

Greek–English Translation

For we never came with a word of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness—

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The recipients can witness the absence of flattery; God is invoked as witness concerning concealed greed. The two denials are linked without making a claim that the messengers never used praise. Reception: R06.

Verse 2:6

Greek–English Translation

nor seeking glory from people, either from you or from others,

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Seeking glory is denied both from the recipients and from others. The participial sentence continues into the apostolic-weight qualification at the beginning of source verse 2:7. Reception: R06.

Verse 2:7

Greek–English Translation

though we could have carried weight as apostles of Christ. But we became gentle in your midst, as a nursing mother might cherish her own children.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The accessed edition reads ēpioi, gentle. En barei einai literally concerns being in weight/burden; carried weight preserves the possibility of apostolic claims, including support, rather than restricting it to one form of authority. Trophos is a nurse; her own children gives the maternal comparison. Reception: R07.

Text [G]: NA28 reads νήπιοι, infants (SBLGNT ἤπιοι, gentle); the rendering above follows SBLGNT, and NA28 would read "we became infants in your midst".R07

Verse 2:8

Greek–English Translation

Longing for you in this way, we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become beloved to us.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Lives renders psychas here in the context of giving themselves, not only imparting information. Reception: R07.

Verse 2:9

Greek–English Translation

For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: working night and day so as not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Labor and toil (kopos and mochthos) are separate nouns. Night and day describes their work, whose stated purpose is to avoid burdening anyone while proclaiming the gospel. Reception: R08.

Verse 2:10

Greek–English Translation

You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we conducted ourselves toward you who believe,

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Three adverbs characterize conduct: devoutly, justly, and blamelessly. Both the believers and God are called as witnesses; the verse addresses behavior toward these believers. Reception: R08.

Verse 2:11

Greek–English Translation

just as you know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children,

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The main thought continues into 2:12. Dealt with supplies an English verbal connection for the sequence of participles; no separate action is added. Reception: R08.

Verse 2:12

Greek–English Translation

encouraging you and comforting you and solemnly urging you to walk worthily of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Encouraging, comforting, and solemnly urging preserve three participles continuing 2:11. The calling is into God’s own kingdom and glory; the possessive belongs to God. Reception: R08.

Receiving the word amid opposition

Verse 2:13

Greek–English Translation

And for this reason we also thank God unceasingly: when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it as no human word, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Receiving what was heard and accepting it are distinct verbal expressions. The relative pronoun which refers naturally to the word, described as working among those who believe. Reception: R09.

Verse 2:14

Greek–English Translation

For you, brothers, became imitators of the Churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The source’s Jews is retained. The following participles describe the persecuting opponents in this polemical passage; the rendering adds no claim of inherited guilt or a judgment about every Jewish person in every generation. The Churches held up as models are themselves in Judea. Reception: R09.

Verse 2:15

Greek–English Translation

who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out, and do not please God and are opposed to all people,

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The participles continue the opponents described in 2:14–16. The selected text says the prophets, without their own; the English preserves the source’s accusation without adding inherited or universal Jewish guilt. Reception: R09.

Verse 2:16

Greek–English Translation

hindering us from speaking to the nations so that they might be saved, thus always filling up their sins. But wrath has overtaken them to the end.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Eis telos may mean to the end, finally, or to the uttermost. The translation preserves the phrase without naming a historical catastrophe or asserting one reconstruction of the letter’s composition. Reception: R09.

Separation and longing

Verse 2:17

Greek–English Translation

But we, brothers, having been bereaved of you for a short time—in face, not in heart—were all the more eager, with great longing, to see your face.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Aporphanisthentes uses bereavement/orphaning imagery. Face and heart preserve the contrast between physical separation and affection. Reception: R10.

Verse 2:18

Greek–English Translation

For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, both once and twice—and Satan hindered us.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Once and twice is retained rather than a guessed count of journeys. The switch from we to I, Paul, is explicit. Reception: R10.

Verse 2:19

Greek–English Translation

For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not also you?

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The question places the community among the messengers’ hope, joy, and crown of boasting before Jesus at His coming. Also you does not imply that Thessalonica is their only cherished community. Reception: R10.

Verse 2:20

Greek–English Translation

For you are our glory and joy.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The emphatic you are concludes the preceding question. Glory and joy are repeated as relational praise of the community, rather than new titles bestowed on its leaders. Reception: R10.