1 Thessalonians 3:4-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

In these words the apostle gives an account of his sending Timothy to the Thessalonians. Though he was hindered from going to them himself, yet his love was such that he could not forbear sending Timothy to them. Though Timothy was very useful to him, and he could not well spare him, yet Paul was content, for their good, to be left alone at Athens. Note, Those ministers do not duly value the establishment and welfare of their people who cannot deny themselves in many things for that end.... read more

Matthew Henry

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 3:4

For, verily, when we were with you ,.... In presence, in person, as they then were in heart and affection; when they were first among them, and preached the Gospel to them: we told you before ; before it came to pass; that we should suffer tribulation : which they might say by virtue of Christ's prediction to all his disciples, that they should have tribulation in the world; and upon its being the common case of God's people, and the usual way through which they enter the kingdom;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:5

For this cause, when I could no longer forbear ,.... Or "bear" the above vehement desire of seeing them, or of hearing from them. Here the apostle speaks in the singular number, and seems to intimate, as if what was said before of the like kind is to be understood singly of him; for these words are a repetition and summary of the foregoing, with some diversity: I sent to know your faith; how it stood, whether it was staggering through these afflictions, or firm; whether it was weak or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:6

But now when Timotheus came from you unto us ,.... At Corinth, as appears from Acts 18:5 which shows that this epistle was not written from Athens, as the subscription to it asserts, but from Corinth; for as soon as ever Timothy came from Thessalonica, to the apostle at Corinth, and made the report to him, he immediately sent them this epistle which is here suggested: "but, now", &c.; just now; "lately", as the Syriac version renders it, a very little while ago, Timothy was just come: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:7

Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over, you ,.... Or "in you", as the Vulgate Latin version; or "from you", as the Arabic; or "by you", as the Syriac; or "for you", as the Ethiopic; that is, on account of them, either by what they had heard was in them, or had heard from them. This gave abundant consolation in all our affliction and distress : which they met with at Corinth, where the apostle laboured with his own hands, and ministered to his own, and the necessities of others, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:8

For now we live ,.... Before they were dead men, lifeless, disconsolate, dispirited, carrying about with them the dying of the Lord Jesus, and death working in them, and they, as it were, under the sentence of that, being killed all the day long for Christ's sake; but now, upon this news, in the midst of all their sore trials and troubles, their spirits revived, and they became alive and cheerful; see Psalm 22:26 , it was like life from the dead unto them: if ye stand fast in the Lord ... read more

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