In tried to stop us, “tried to” is implied. The verb Paul uses means to prevent or hinder, either by words (cf. the English “forbid”) or by actions. Phillips‘ “refused to allow” limits the reference to verbal pressure, but more is probably included here. In English, “prevent,” like its more common equivalent “stop,” includes the idea that the pressure is effective. This suggestion should be avoided here, since the Jews clearly did not succeed in preventing Paul from preaching to the Gentiles. That is why Good News Translation inserts tried to. Revised Standard Version and New English Bible have “hindering.” The Greek implies continual pressure over a period of time.
In some languages an attempt which does not succeed must be clearly marked as such, for example, “they tried to stop us from preaching … but they could not.”
Gentile is a technical word which the TEV word list defines as “a person who is not a Jew.” (The Greek word can sometimes mean “peoples,” but here there is an explicit contrast with Jews.) “Pagans” (cf. Luther 1984 La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée Le Nouveau Testament. Version Synodale) emphasizes the religious aspect of the distinction between Jews and non-Jews, to the exclusion of the racial aspect. It also has bad overtones which were far from Paul’s mind. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy (cf. Phillips) avoids the need for an explanatory note by translating “those who are not Jews,” while Bible en français courant has “non-Jews” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the other peoples.”
Preaching to the Gentiles the message that would bring them salvation. The more literal Revised Standard Version (cf. New English Bible) “speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved” fails to express an implied but quite specific reference to the communication of the Christian message. Good News Translation accordingly inserts message (cf. Bible en français courant), Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the Good News”; Moffatt has “words of salvation” and Phillips “the message by which they could be saved.” “Speak” (Good News Translation preaching) does not, however, suggest a formal discourse within the setting of public worship, usually in a church building. Phillips avoids this misunderstanding by translating “tell”; Translator’s New Testament, similarly, has “telling the Gentiles how they may be saved”; Bible en français courant and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch have “announce” (cf. Bijbel in Gewone Taal “make known to the Gentiles how they can be saved.”)
In many languages it is impossible to talk about “bringing people salvation.” This would be especially true of the activity of a “message,” since the real agent of salvation is always God. Accordingly, the last part of this first sentence in verse 16 may be recast as “the message by which God would save them,” or “the words that told them how God would save them.” In some languages “save” is translated “to be given a new liver by God,” or “God has given them new hearts.” Another possibility is “to receive new life from God.”
In this way they have completed the full total of the sins they have always committed. The difficulties here are cultural as well as linguistic, so that even the clearest translation will not solve all the problems of understanding. In speaking of a full total, Paul may have in mind the rabbinical idea of God’s keeping a record of a person’s good and bad deeds and judging the total. Genesis 15.16 suggests a similar idea, but Bible de Jérusalem and Jerusalem Bible seem to go too far in labeling Paul’s words as a direct quotation of this passage. The expression total is not explicit, and some translations remove or change it. Bible en français courant has “sum,” Bible de Jérusalem “culmination,” Phillips “finishing touch.”
It is difficult to decide whether the “filling up” or “completing” refers to the whole series of the Jews’ misdeeds, or only to the last sin mentioned, that of trying to keep the gospel from reaching non-Jews. The form of the Greek verb suggest action(s) at one or more specific points in time, and the idea of repeated action is emphasized by the word always. Good News Translation‘s image of a total amount being filled or completed again and again makes sense of this text, but it does not seem to have any parallel. New English Bible‘s “have been filling up the full measure of their guilt” is ambiguous, since “have been filling” could (in this context wrongly) suggest a process rather then repeated action. Jerusalem Bible‘s “they never stop trying to finish off the sins they have begun” conveys well the idea of repeated action, but unfortunately implies that their sinning was interrupted! Paul’s thought, here as in many other places, is compressed and therefore not entirely clear, but the main elements are: (1) the Jews have sinned repeatedly in the past, and (2) now the total of their sins has been completed. In (2) Paul is probably referring to the last sin in his list, as being the last sin, or at least the last type of sin, for which there will be time before the End. As the last part of the verse will show and many other passages in 1 and 2 Thessalonians confirm, Paul’s mind is full of the nearness of Christ’s coming and the judgment which will accompany it.
The translation of in this way they have completed the full total of the sins they have always committed is perhaps even more difficult than the interpretation, especially if the translation must be done in a language which employs only a verb for sins. One can sometimes say “this is only the last of all the sins that they have always been committing.” The use of “all” is one way of reproducing the concept of “full total.” If a language requires a verb for “sins,” one may translate such as “and this finally is how they have sinned, just like all the other times that they have been sinning.”
The last sentence in verse 16, and now God’s anger has at last come down on them, is abrupt. The abruptness is reinforced by the verb has come down, which suggests a sudden event. Best translates “has caught up with them.” For the meaning of anger, see the notes on 1.10. God’s is implied by the use of the definite article (King James Version cf. Luther 1984 “the anger”). In using this expression, Paul, like a good Jew, commonly omits the name of God. For the reader of today, “the anger” would be at best too general, and at worst unclear. Accordingly, Revised Standard Version Bible en français courant Biblia Dios Habla Hoy Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch Bijbel in Gewone Taal Barclay (cf. Phillips) like Good News Translation add “God’s.” Bible de Jérusalem has “the wrath” with an explanatory note, and Moffatt has “the Wrath” (capital W), but neither solution is appropriate for a translation intended to be read aloud. Jerusalem Bible and New English Bible have “retribution.”
In some languages God’s anger must be translated as “God is judging them harshly” or “God is angry with them and judging them.” As already noted in 1.10, anger includes the concept of judging.
The translations of at last vary. Moule (70) suggests “completely,” under Hebrew influence. Most translations, on the other hand, see some kind of a reference to time, which would fit in well with the preceding always. Two kinds of time reference are possible: (1) backward: at last (Good News Translation cf. Jerusalem Bible Bible en français courant; Phillips “finally,” cf. Bible de Jérusalem La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée Le Nouveau Testament. Version Synodale Bijbel in Gewone Taal), contrasting a single recent event with a preceding period: ——>——|- and (2) forward: “to the end” (cf. Luther 1984 Moffatt; New English Bible “for good and all”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “God’s irrevocable anger”), linking a decisive event with its future consequences: -|——>——. The backward reference seems to suit better both the immediate context and Paul’s general view of time.
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .