1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:6-10

Here we have Paul's great satisfaction upon the return of Timothy with good tidings from the Thessalonians, in which we may observe, I. The good report Timothy made concerning them, 1 Thess. 3:6. Without question, he was a willing messenger of these good tidings. Concerning their faith, that is, concerning their stedfastness in the faith, that they were not shaken in mind, nor turned aside form the profession of the gospel. Their love also continued; their love to the gospel, and the ministers... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

In these words we have the earnest prayer of the apostle. He desired to be instrumental in the further benefit of the Thessalonians; and the only way to be so while at a distance was by prayer for them, together with his writing or sending to them. He desired that their faith might be perfected, which he could not be the proper cause or author of; for he pretended not to dominion over their faith, nor to have the donation of it, and he therefore concludes with prayer for them. Observe, I. Whom... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Thessalonians 3:1-10

3:1-10 So, when we could not stand it any longer, we made up our minds to be left all alone in Athens, and we sent Timothy our brother and God's servant in the good news of Christ, to strengthen you and encourage you about your faith, to see that none of you is beguiled into leaving the faith because of these afflictions, for you yourselves know that that is the very work that God has appointed us to do. For, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we Christians always suffer for... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

3:11-13 May he who is our God and Father and the Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to you. May the Lord increase you and make you to abound in love to each other and to all men, even as we do towards you, in order that he may strengthen your hearts so that you may be blameless in holiness before the God who is our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. It is in a simple passage like this that the instinctive turn of Paul's mind is best seen. For him everything was of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:9

For what thanks can we render to God again or you ,.... They had given thanks to God for them before, for their faith, love, and patience; see 1 Thessalonians 1:2 and now having received a further account of them, they looked upon themselves bound to give fresh thanks to God for them, for the increase of their faith and love, and for their perseverance, as they did; see 2 Thessalonians 1:3 since these are gifts of God's grace; but they knew not where to begin, what to render, and when to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:10

Night and day praying exceedingly ,.... This good news, not only comforted their hearts, and revived their spirits, and filled them with joy and thankfulness, but also sent them to the throne of grace to pray without ceasing, continually, night and day, and as often as they went thither, and that with great fervency and earnestness, in a multitude of petitions; or, as the Arabic version renders it, "with prayers exceeding a multitude"; with innumerable requests: that we might see your... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:11

Now God himself, and our Father ,.... The Oriental versions leave out the copulative "and", and read, "God himself, our Father" the first person in the Trinity, who is God himself, truly and properly so; and who is a God that hears prayer; and who is omnipotent, and able to do more than the saints can ask or think; and omniscient, and knows their persons and cases, and what is proper for them, and how and when to help and supply them; and he is also the God of all grace, the author and giver... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:12

And the Lord make you to increase ,.... That is, the Lord the Spirit; so that the object of prayer, addressed by the apostle, is Father, Son, and Spirit, as in Revelation 1:4 . The Alexandrian copy reads "God". The Spirit is God, equally with the Father and the Son, and so a fit object of prayer with them, which otherwise he would not be. The request is, that he would cause these saints to increase in number, as the first churches greatly did: and in the gifts of the Spirit, which he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:13

To the end he may stablish your hearts ,.... Which are very unstable and inconstant in their frames, and in the exercise of grace, and have need to be established in the love of God, against the fears of men, the frowns of the world, the temptations of Satan, and in, and with the doctrines of grace; See Gill on 1 Thessalonians 3:2 , unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father . There is no holiness in men naturally; what is in them without the grace of God is only a show; true... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Thessalonians 3:9

What thanks can we render to God - The high satisfaction and uncommon joy which the apostle felt are strongly depicted in the language he uses. How near his heart did the success of his ministry lie! It was not enough for him that he preached so often, labored so hard, suffered so much; what were all these if souls were not converted? And what were all conversions, if those who embraced the Gospel did not walk steadily in the way to heaven, and persevere? read more

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