1 Thessalonians 1:4-6

1:4 We know, ¹  brothers and sisters ²  loved by God, that he has chosen you, ³  1:5 in that ⁴  our gospel did not come to you merely in words, ⁵  but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction (surely you recall the character we displayed when we came among you to help you). ⁶ 

1:6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received ⁷  the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

1:9 For people everywhere ⁸  report how you welcomed us ⁹  and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 1:10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath. ¹⁰ 

¹ tn Grk “knowing.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle εἰδότες (eidotes) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence started here in the translation.

² tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

³ tn Grk “your election.”

⁴ tn Or “because.”

⁵ tn Or “speech,” or “an act of speaking.”

⁶ tn Grk “just as you know what sort of people we were among you for your sakes.” Verse 5 reflects on the experience of Paul and his fellow preachers; v. 6 begins to describe the Thessalonians’ response.

⁷ tn Or “after you received.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “they themselves,” referring to people in the places just mentioned.

¹¹ tn Grk “what sort of entrance we had to you” (an idiom for how someone is received).

¹³ sn The coming wrath. This wrath is an important theme in 1 Thess 5.