Finally must be understood as a transitional, equivalent to a phrase such as “in conclusion.” It must not be understood in the sense of “you finally learned.”
Sometimes Paul’s thought is so concise that it is difficult to follow; sometimes it includes repetition for the sake of emphasis. We find both these features in this verse.
First, there is repetition. There is no significant difference of meaning in this context between beg and urge, but the two words reinforce each other (like Phillips‘ “beg and pray”). There are other ways of conveying emphasis; Bijbel in Gewone Taal, for example, has “we ask you most seriously.”
Second, there is a train of thought which is compressed to the point of obscurity. Omitting the transitional words which have been discussed above, the sentence may be broadly analyzed into the following statements, in the approximate order of the Greek: (1) We ask you in the Lord Jesus to behave as you should in order to please God. (2) We already told you how should behave in order to please God. (3) You are behaving in this way now. (4) We want you to do so still more. Even such a preliminary analysis shows that item (2) comes before the others, both logically and in time, that it is naturally followed by (3), and that (1) and (4) are closely related, (4) intensifying part of the meaning of (1). This is the basis for the restructuring and consequent change of order adopted by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Bijbel in Gewone Taal. The main emphasis falls on item (4), with a secondary stress on item (1). The Greek conveys this by putting (1) at the beginning of the sentence and (4) at the end. Good News Translation achieves the same effect in different ways. First it “de-emphasizes” item (2) by you learned and item (3) by of course, indicating old or assumed information, and suggesting that the main thrust of the verse is still to come. Then items (1) and (4) are combined, and emphasized by the introductory words and now.
Most translations link in the name of the Lord Jesus with we beg and urge you. This is the most probable interpretation. Paul speaks on behalf of Jesus and with his authority. However, the words the name of are implied, and it is possible to link in … the Lord Jesus with you, and translate, as Barclay does, “… to urge upon you as a Christian fellowship.” The order of words in the Greek (literally “we beg you and urge in the Lord Jesus”) makes this unlikely, as does the close parallel with by the authority of the Lord Jesus in verse 2.
In a number of languages, it is impossible to translate literally in the name of the Lord Jesus and convey real meaning, because so many languages simply do not use the expression “in the name of” as a reference either to the authority of a person or to the source of a communication. The closest equivalent in some languages is “and now, as persons who speak on behalf of the Lord Jesus, we beg you earnestly.” It may also be possible to relate “the Lord Jesus” to this urgent request by making him the ultimate source of information, for example, “because of what the Lord Jesus has said, we now urgently beg you.” In general, however, it is best to render in the name of the Lord Jesus as an indication of representation, that is, the apostles spoke on behalf of the Lord Jesus as representing him. This is probably the most satisfactory way of indicating that the ultimate authority rests with Jesus, a point which is clearly made in verse 2.
You learned from us is literally “you received from us.” Paul refers here and repeatedly later (vv. 2, 6, 11) to teaching he gave during his visit (not to what he has written earlier in this letter). The word “received” is often almost a technical term for the attitude of those to whom the Christian message is handed on (cf. 1 Corinthians 15.1). Paul has received it from Christ (cf. v. 2) and he transmits it to others. New English Bible brings this out by translating: “We passed on to you the tradition of the way we must live to please God.”
How you should live must in some languages be closely related to general conduct, since it is not existence which is in focus, but the manner in which people behave toward one another. It may be necessary, therefore, to translate as “how you should act toward one another,” or “how you should act toward people,” in order to indicate the broadest possible range of behavior and not merely attitudes toward and actions involving fellow Christians.
How you should live in order to please God is translated literally in Revised Standard Version. “To live” and “to please” are not, however, two parallel activities, but they are related as means and purpose, and most translations recognize this. To please God may be rendered as “so that God will be happy,” “so that God will look upon what you do as good,” or “so that what you do will make God content.”
In some languages it is not easy to reproduce satisfactorily a close equivalent of of course. In this context one may introduce the fact of the Thessalonians’ having lived in a proper way by saying “I know this is the way you have been living.”
The way you have been living is in the present tense in Greek (cf. New English Bible “you are indeed already following it”), and there is no suggestion that the Thessalonians have just changed their way of life for the worse. Paul is stressing the continuous aspect of their Christian living. This sentence is missing in some manuscripts (cf. King James Version), but this omission is almost certainly due to a scribal error.
King James Version‘s “abound more and more” faithfully reproduces a redundancy which is a little strange in Greek, just as in English, and which Good News Translation and many other translations therefore avoid. Paul uses here the same verb which in 3.12 (see notes) was translated make … become … great.
To do even more is an excellent rendering in English, but it poses certain problems in other languages if to do simply refers to living. In fact, it is not an increased amount of living but an increased quality of life which is indicated. Therefore one may need to translate “to do even better,” or “to behave toward other people even better.”
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 .