13 And we also thank God continually(A) because, when you received the word of God,(B) which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators(C) of God’s churches in Judea,(D) which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people(E) the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus(F) and the prophets(G) and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles(H) so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit.(I) The wrath of God has come upon them at last.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or them fully

13 And so[a] we too constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us,[b] you accepted it not as a human message,[c] but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who believe. 14 For you became imitators, brothers and sisters,[d] of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they in fact did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets[e] and persecuted us severely.[f] They are displeasing to God and are opposed to all people, 16 because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins,[g] but wrath[h] has come upon them completely.[i]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 tn Grk “for this reason,” which seems to look back to Paul’s behavior just described. But it may look forward to v. 13b and mean: “and here is another reason that we constantly thank God: that…”
  2. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 tn Grk “God’s word of hearing from us.”
  3. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 tn Paul’s focus is their attitude toward the message he preached: They received it not as a human message but a message from God.
  4. 1 Thessalonians 2:14 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:4.
  5. 1 Thessalonians 2:15 tc ἰδίους (idious, “their own prophets”) is found in D1 Ψ 1241 1505 2464 M sy McionT. This is obviously a secondary reading. Marcion’s influence may stand behind part of the tradition, but the Byzantine text probably added the adjective in light of its mention in v. 14 and as a clarification or interpretation of which prophets were in view.
  6. 1 Thessalonians 2:15 tn Or “and drove us out” (cf. Acts 17:5-10).
  7. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 tn Grk “to fill up their sins always.”
  8. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 tc The Western text (D F G 629 latt) adds τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou) to ὀργή (orgē) to read “the wrath of God,” in emulation of the normal Pauline idiom (cf., e.g., Rom 1:18; Eph 5:6; Col 3:6) and, most likely, to clarify which wrath is in view (since ὀργή is articular).tn Or “the wrath,” possibly referring back to the mention of wrath in 1:10.
  9. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 tn Or “at last.”