2 Thessalonians 1 (BHT-ATN)

“To: The Assembly of the Thessalonians”

1 From: Paul and Silvanus and Timothy.

To: The assembly of the Thessalonians in union with God our Father and Jesus the Messiah.

2 To all of ᵖyou+ grace, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

“We Can’t Help but Give Thanks to God”

3 We can’t help but+ give thanks to God at all times for you, brothers and sisters, as is certainly fitting, in view of the fact that your faith is growing so much+ and that the love each one of you has for one another+ is increasing.+ 4 As a result, we ourselves, in regard to you, are constantly speaking in praise+ as we visit God’s assemblies, bragging about the perseverance and faith you’ve exhibited amidst all the persecutions and the trials you continue to endure.+ 5 These trials demonstrate the opposite+ of what will happen when God judges+ in righteousness,+ and as a result of them, according to his purpose,+ you will be made ready+ for the Kingdom of God,+ on account of which you too are suffering.+ 6 For it is indeed only right in the sight of God for him to punish your persecutors by paying them back with trial and affliction, 7 and to reward you who are being persecuted by repaying you with rest, together with us, when our Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven+ with his powerful angels in blazing fire.+ 8 He will execute vengeance against those who do not know God and against those who refuse to obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.+ 9 Such people will pay the penalty—utter disaster in the coming age, away from the presence of the Lord and from his glorious power— 10 when he comes back to be glorified in+ his holy people+ and marveled at in the midst of those who believed,+ which includes you, since you believed what we saw with our own eyes and solemnly proclaimed to you+—in that Day.+ 11 These things in mind, we also pray at all times for you, that you our God would himself make ready for that to which he summons+ you,+ and turn every intention for good into action and bring every deed prompted by faith to completion through his power,+ 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the gift of our God and the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

+1:2Unless otherwise marked (through superscript—ˢyou), all second person pronouns are in the second person plural.+1:3Lit We must/are obligated to thank. ME. Cf NLT. The NLT transfers the intended meaning into English very well here, in my opinion, and has thus been followed in translation.+1:3Lit is growing exceedingly/greatly/immeasurably. ME. Cf TEV.+1:3Lit the love of each one of you all for one another. ME. Cf HCSB, NCV, NIV, NLT, TEV.+1:3Cf 1 Th 4:9-10.+1:4Lit are boasting. ME (see translation and notes at 2 Co 2:14).+1:4Lit so that we ourselves in you keep boasting in the assemblies of God concerning the patient endurance/perseverance of you and faith in all the persecutions of you and the afflictions which you are enduring. ME. The mismatch in languages here is obvious. “Boast” here has a positive meaning.+1:5Lit [are] a demonstration, or [are] a clear example, or [are] proof, or [are] an indication. This verse is very difficult to translate. The language of this clause is highly compressed, and the meaning of ἔνδειγμα ( endeigma) in this context is a bit tricky, since both believers and unbelievers are in view. Nevertheless, the immediate context, and parallels involving cognates in other parts of the NT, favor a meaning such as that conveyed in the translation here. On a general level, ἔνδειγμα is built off of ἐνδείκνυμι ( endeiknumi) (see NASB-Dic, 1730), which means “display,” “demonstrate,” or “show” (cf, eg, various English translations at 1 Ti 1:16). More specifically, ὑπόδειγμα ( hupodeigma) at 2 Pt 2:6 and δεῖγμα ( deigma) at Jude 7 mean “proof” or “indicator” in the sense of providing an “example” of what God will do to the wicked in context to the Day of the Lord. In both of these examples, the “evidence” or “indicator” is a historical event that points ahead to the future time of judgment and tells us what God will do to the wicked at that time. These passages are easier to interpret and translate, because in them, only the fate of the wicked is referenced. The closest parallel to the idea expressed here is found in Php 1:28, where ἔνδειξις ( endeixis) is functioning in a way essentially synonymous with ἔνδειγμα. The meaning in that context is fairly clear: The opposition instigated by those persecuting the believers, and the firmness/loyalty/courage of the believers in the midst of persecution, somehow function as a sign/example/demonstration/indicator of the future destiny of both groups at the future time of judgment. In this passage, “the righteous judgment of God” almost certainly refers to the future day of judgment (cf Rm 2:5), and therefore the verbal information compressed in the genitive is futuristic (cf CJB, ISV, NCV, NIV, NLT, TEV at Php 1:28). Vv 6-7 focus on how God will “repay” both the persecutors and the persecuted at the Second Coming. When Jesus returns, there will be a reversal of fortune and circumstance: Those who pour out “affliction” (v 4) on believers now, will at that time have to “endure/experience” (v 4) the “affliction” (v 6) that God will pour out on them as a repayment at that time. In turn, believers who now suffer persecution and “affliction” at the hand of those who are presently “at rest” (because justice and judgment have been perverted and, in contrast to God’s, are not “righteous” [v 5]) will at that time be vindicated. The TNT translates ἔνδειγμα as “clear example,” in reference to the Thessalonians themselves (see UBSHS [2 Th], 139). This is an accurate interpretation, but needs some modification, since the actions of both believers and unbelievers are involved in the “example/demonstration.” Because the example points ahead to the future judgment, and since both believers and unbelievers are involved, the present situation is a reverse example of what will happen when Jesus returns and God judges the world in righteousness. Cf Dt 7:10, 32:41-43; Ps 31:23, 41:10, Ps 137:8; 79:12; Pr 20:22; Is 59:18-20, 65:6-7; Jr 16:18, 32:18, 50:29, 51:24; Ho 4:9, 12:2-14.+1:5“Judgment” here is not referring to a particular verdict, but to the act of judging (see UBSHS [2 Th], 142), in context to the day of wrath (cf vv 7-10). The genitive is subjective.+1:5Cf Rm 2:5.+1:5Here εἰς ( eis) is interpreted as signaling both purpose and result. This is reflected in the translation. In Biblical contexts, when God’s plan is in view, there is often significant overlap between ideas of result and purpose (see UBSHS [2 Th], 142; BDAG, 477, sv ἵνα 3; Wallace, Grammar, 473-4).+1:5Or made fit for, or made compatible with. Lit made worthy of/suitable to. A careful comparison of 1 Th 2:12, 3:11-13, 4:4-8, and 5:23-24, with 2 Th 1:5 and 1:11 (note esp the thematic prominence in 1:11, accomplishing a task similar to that accomplished by αὐτός [ autos] in 1 Th 3:11 and 5:23), indicate that καταξιόω ( kataxioō) in this context is to be understood in the sense of “make worthy” (see ANLEX, 60, sv ἀξιόω 1; cf ISV, NET, NRSV, RSV, TEV). “Worthy,” moreover, means the same thing here that it means at 1 Th 2:12: Compatible/suitable/appropriate/in agreement with/corresponding to, ie, “holy” (see 1 Th 2:12, 3:11-13, 5:23-24; Eph 4:17-5:20). Paul’s point here is simply this: In the coming Kingdom, God will not tolerate any form of wickedness (see, eg, Re 22:14-15). In light of that, in this age he mercifully uses suffering, trial, and difficulty (means) to cleanse us (purpose/result) of the things that are incompatible and not in agreement with the holiness of that Kingdom—things he will by no means allow into it (see 1 Co 6:9-11; Eph 5:3-7). In other words, “suffering produces character,” and “character produces hope” (Rm 5:4). As a result, when the Day of the Lord arrives, we won’t share in fate of those who will suffer his wrath because of these things (see Col 3:6; 1 Th 4:6-8). According to Miriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary,, “fit” ranges in meaning from “adapted to an end or design,” to “acceptable from a particular viewpoint,” to “put into a suitable state,” ie, “to make ready” (eleventh edition, sv fit adjective). All of these senses apply here (cf Re 19:6-9, 22:14-15). “Make ready” sounds most natural, though, and therefore has been used in translation here.+1:5Cf Lk 20:35; Rm 5:1-5, 8:16, 8:28-30; 1 Co 6:9-11; Eph 1:15-19, 5:1-5; Php 1:9-11, 3:7-11; Col 1:9-13; 1 Th 2:12, 3:11-13, 4:4-8, 5:23-24; 2 Th 1:11; Re 19:6-9, 22:14-15.+1:5Or on account of which you are indeed suffering. Cf 1 Th 3:1-9.+1:7Or from the sky.+1:7Cf Is 30:27-33, 64:1-5, 66:15; Mt 13:36-43, 16:27, 25:31; Mk 8:38; Heb 10:27; 2 Pt 3:7.+1:8Cf Ps 79:6; Jr 10:25.+1:10Or among, or by, or because of.+1:10Or in his saints.+1:10Cf Ps 22:25; Is 29:22-24, 52:13-14; Mt 14:34; Jn 17:20-26; Rm 8:16-18; Col 3:4.+1:10Lit because our testimony/witness to you was believed. Following the lead of the ISV, NIV, NLT, TEV (cf also ESS [2 Th], 196) and the UBSHS (see UBSHS [2 Th], 152) in translation here.+1:10Cf Is 2.+1:11Or calls, or invites.+1:11Lit of the calling. Cf 1 Th 2:12, 3:11-13, 4:4-8, and 5:23-24; 2 Th 1:5 1:11. κλῆσις ( klēsis) is functioning as a verbal noun here, with God as the implied subject. That this is in fact the case is confirmed when we compare v 1:5 above with 1 Th 2:12, and when we compare both of these verses with 1 Th 2:12, 3:11-13, 4:4-8, and 5:23-24.+1:11Cf Eph 1:15-19, 3:14-21; Php 1:6-11, 2:11-13; Col 1:9-14; 1 Th 1:13, 3:11-13, 4:3-8, 5:23-28.