1 Thessalonians 4:15

4:15 For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, ¹  that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Thessalonians 4:2

4:2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 3:4-8

3:4 For in fact when we were with you, we were telling you in advance that we would suffer affliction, and so it has happened, as you well know. ²  3:5 So ³  when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless.

3:6 But now Timothy has come ⁴  to us from you and given us the good news of your faith and love and that you always think of us with affection ⁵  and long to see us just as we also long to see you! ⁶  3:7 So ⁷  in all our distress and affliction, we were reassured about you, brothers and sisters, ⁸  through your faith. 3:8 For now we are alive again, ⁹  if you stand firm in the Lord.

¹ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

² tn Grk “just as it also occurred and you know.”

³ tn Or “for this reason.”

⁴ tn Grk “but now Timothy having come,” a subordinate clause leading to the main clause of v. 7.

⁵ tn Grk “you have a good remembrance of us always.”

⁶ tn Grk “just as also we you.”

⁷ tn Or “for this reason.”

⁸ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:4.

⁹ tn Grk “because now we live,” in comparison with his feelings of dread in not knowing how they were doing (cf. 2:17-3:5).