2 Thessalonians 1:5

Encouragement in Persecution

1:5 This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, to make you worthy ¹  of the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering.

2 Thessalonians 3:2

3:2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil people. For not all have faith.

2 Thessalonians 1:10

1:10 when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired ²  on that day among all who have believed – and you did in fact believe our testimony. ³ 

2 Thessalonians 1:12

1:12 that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to ⁴  the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:13

Call to Stand Firm

2:13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters ⁵  loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning ⁶  for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

[1:5]  ¹ tn Grk “so that you may be made worthy.” The passive infinitive καταξιωθῆναι (kataxiwqhnai) has been translated as an active construction in English for stylistic reasons.

[1:10]  ² tn Or “marveled at.”

[1:10]  ³ tn Grk “because our testimony to you was believed.”

[1:12]  ³ tn Or “by means of.”

[2:13]  ⁴ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:3.

[2:13]  ⁵ tc ‡ Several mss (B F G P 0278 33 81 323 1739 1881 al bo) read ἀπαρχήν (aparchn, “as a first fruit”; i.e., as the first converts) instead of ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς (ap’ arch", “from the beginning,” found in א D Ψ Ï it sa), but this seems more likely to be a change by scribes who thought of the early churches in general in this way. But Paul would not be likely to call the Thessalonians “the first fruits” among his converts. Further, ἀπαρχή (aparch, “first fruit”) is a well-worn term in Paul’s letters (Rom 8:23; 11:16; 16:5; 1 Cor 15:20, 23; 16:15), while ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς occurs nowhere else in Paul. Scribes might be expected to change the text to the more familiar term. Nevertheless, a decision is difficult (see arguments for ἀπαρχήν in TCGNT 568), and ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς must be preferred only slightly.