2 Thessalonians 2:17

2:17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you ¹  in every good thing you do or say. ² 

2 Thessalonians 2:15

2:15 Therefore, brothers and sisters, ³  stand firm and hold on to the traditions that we taught you, whether by speech or by letter. ⁴ 

2 Thessalonians 3:5

3:5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God ⁵  and the endurance of Christ. ⁶ 

¹ tn Grk simply “strengthen,” with the object understood from the preceding.

² tn Grk “every good work and word.”

³ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:3.

⁴ tn Grk “that you were taught whether by word or by letter of ours.”

⁵ tn The genitive in the phrase τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ (thn agaphn tou qeou, “the love of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“God’s love”) or an objective genitive (“your love for God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, the emphasis would be on believers being directed toward the love God gives which in turn produces increased love in them for him.

⁶ tn The genitive in the phrase τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ (thn Jupomonhn tou Cristou, “the endurance of Christ”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“Christ’s endurance”) or an objective genitive (“endurance for Christ”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, the emphasis would be on believers being directed toward the endurance Christ showed which in turn produces endurance in them for him.