Paragraph 2:5–12

In this paragraph Paul wrote that, at exactly the right time, the man of lawlessness will appear. He will have power to perform miracles that will deceive those who themselves oppose the truth and love evil.

2:5

Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you?: Paul used this rhetorical question not because he simply wanted to remind the Thessalonians about something. Rather he wanted to rebuke them gently. If you do not use rhetorical questions as a rebuke in your language, you will have to re-word this verse as a statement or a command. For example:

Do not forget that I told you these things while I was with you.
-or-
I am sure that you remember that I told you these things while I was with you.

these things: This phrase refers back to the events in 2:1–4:

(a) People will rebel against God and his laws,

(b) the man of lawlessness will appear,

(c) the Lord Jesus will return,

(d) God will gather the believers together to meet the Lord Jesus.

© 2002 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

3:9a

Not that we lack this right: The whole clause contains two negatives, which, added together, make a positive statement. So it means “we do have the right.” If you do not use double negatives in this way in your language, you could translate this clause as a positive statement, as in the second Meaning Line in the Display.

this right: In Greek this part of the verse is just exousian, “authority/right.” Some versions specify what right Paul is referring to. For example:

a right to receive support (God’s Word)

Versions add such phrases in order to make it clear that Paul was talking about the right to expect food from them. This is because, as preachers and workers for the gospel, they had the right to be paid for their work or be supported with food. (See 1 Corinthians 9:1–18 for a fuller explanation of their right to receive support.)

3:9b

but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate: This is the positive purpose for which they worked so hard to pay for their food: so that they would be an example for the Thessalonians to follow. It balances the negative purpose in 3:8c. In both cases, the main clause that these purpose clauses are connected to is 3:8b.

3:10a

For: The Greek word gar, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as For, indicates that 3:10a gives further grounds for Paul’s command in 3:6: “keep away from every brother who is idle…”

we gave you this command: This expression in the Berean Standard Bible translates two words in Greek, the pronoun touto (this) and the verb paraggellō, which means “to give orders.” In other words, literally “we were commanding this.” Paul and his companions gave the Thessalonians commands or teachings to tell them how they should behave as Christians. One of these commands was the rule/command in 3:10b. The form of the verb in Greek suggests that Paul had repeated this command several times.

3:10b

If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat: This was probably a well-known saying/proverb. The Berean Standard Bible indicates this by putting quotation marks around the expression.

anyone: In Greek the word here is tis, which means “anyone, male or female.” While some English versions say “any man,” this not restricted to males.

is unwilling to work: This phrase means “refuses to work.” Paul was not referring to people who were unable to work because they were sick or disabled in some way.

he shall not eat: This phrase means “people should not give him anything to eat” or “he should not expect people to feed him.”

Paragraph 3:11–13

3:11a

Yet: In the Greek, this sentence begins with the conjunction gar, which introduces a reason for the command in 3:6, that is, for the Thessalonians to avoid those who were lazy. Most English versions translate it as “for.” The Berean Standard Bible and New Living Translation (2004 Revision) translate it as Yet to suggest that Paul is saying that even though he had given this command, some of the Thessalonians were nevertheless not working. Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. Introduce this verse in a natural way in your language.

we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives and accomplishing nothing: Probably the laziness among believers was the reason why Paul mentioned this subject in this second letter to the Thessalonians, although he had already spoken about the problem in 1 Thessalonians 2:6–9, 4:11–12, 5:14. What Paul had feared might happen had actually happened and some believers had stopped work. See the notes on 1 Thessalonians 4:11c and 5:14a.

we hear: Paul did not say who had brought him the report that some of the Thessalonians were idle. So you should try to keep your translation as general as possible here.

that some of you are leading undisciplined lives: Paul used the same term for undisciplined as in 3:6b. You should translate it in the same way here.

3:11b

and accomplishing nothing but being busybodies: There is a play on words in the Greek here, which says “not working, but working around.” They themselves were not working, but they were interfering with other people’s work in a way that prevented those people from doing their own work properly. Some English versions have managed to retain a play on words. For example:

They are not busy; they are busybodies. (New International Version (2011 Revision))

However, this will not be possible in all languages. It is more important that you translate the correct meaning.

3:12a

We command and urge such people: The Greek verb parakaleō, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as urge, can mean “encourage,” “persuade,” or “exhort.” Paul was not just commanding the lazy Christians, he was urging them to behave in a way that would please the Lord Jesus Christ.

by our Lord Jesus Christ: Clearly these words were meant to strengthen Paul’s command. There are two possible meanings:

(1) It means the same as “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,” that is, by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. It therefore has the same meaning as in 3:6a.

(Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) It means the same as the common expression “in Christ,” that is, Paul was commanding them because they (Paul and the Thessalonian believers) were united to Christ, part of his family.

It is recommended that you follow the first option (1).

3:12b

to begin working quietly: In Greek this is literally “with quietness/orderliness working.” The meaning is “to start behaving in an orderly and obedient way.” Specifically it means to stop stirring up trouble. It is the opposite of being a busybody (3:11b).

to earn their own living: This is the opposite of being idle (3:11a and 3:11b).

living: This is the same Greek word, artos, that the Berean Standard Bible and many other versions translate as “food” in 3:8a. It would be appropriate to translate it “food” in this verse too.

General Comment on 3:12

In some languages, it is better to use direct speech for a command. One way to do this here would be:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command and urge people like this, “Become organized and start working to earn money to buy the food you need.”

3:13

But as for you: These words contrast the idle people of 3:11 with most of the Thessalonian believers. Most of them were not lazy. In some languages, it may be necessary to use a word such as But at the beginning of the verse to show this contrast.

brothers: See the note on 1:3a.

do not grow weary in well-doing: In the context it seems that Paul was telling the Thessalonians to continue to behave in a right way by working hard and not becoming idle.

Paragraph 3:14–15

Paul told the rest of the believers to avoid anyone who refused to obey his instruction not to be lazy. In this way he hoped to cause these lazy believers to change their ways. But he warned the Thessalonians not to treat these people as enemies.

3:14a

Take note of: This probably means that, in some way, the leaders of the Thessalonian believers should make the rest of the congregation aware that this brother was disobedient.

3:14b

anyone who does not obey the instructions we have given in this letter: This could refer to any command that Paul wrote in this letter. But in the immediate context, it refers to his instruction to undisciplined believers to start working again.

3:14c

Do not associate with him: The Thessalonian believers were not to mix with this person, that is, they should avoid him. Although the Greek verb used here is different from that used in 3:6b, the meaning is similar. Translate this as naturally as you can. In this context this could mean that the believers should not speak to him or eat with him.

3:14d

so that he may be ashamed: The purpose of the command in 3:14a–c was not to punish the disobedient believer but to cause him to be ashamed so that he would repent and change the way he was behaving.

3:15a

Yet: Although the Thessalonians were to obey the command in 3:14b–c, they were not to do so in a harsh way that would perhaps make the person leave the fellowship.

do not regard him as an enemy: Although the believers were not to associate with this person, they were not to consider him as if he were an enemy who was against them.

3:15b

but: In 3:15a, Paul told the Thessalonians how they should not behave toward a disobedient believer. In this part of the verse he gave a contrast and told them how they should behave.

warn him as a brother: The Greek verb noutheteō, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as warn, is the same verb that Paul used in 1 Thessalonians 5:14a. You should also use the same verb here as you did in 1 Thessalonians 5:14a. Paul was giving the same command here as he had already given in his first letter.

as a brother: By using this expression, Paul was emphasizing that this person was still a believer, still part of God’s family. He was certainly not an “enemy,” and so the Thessalonians should not treat him as one.

Section 3:16–18

Paul prayed for the Thessalonians and greeted them

Paul prayed a final blessing for the Thessalonians. He prayed that Christ would cause their lives to go well. He then signed the letter in his own handwriting.

Paragraph 3:16

The commentators all agree that Paul finished the main part of the letter at 3:15 and was giving his closing greetings in 3:16–18.

3:16a

Now may the Lord of peace Himself: The Greek word autos (Himself) is often used to emphasize something. However, that is not true in this verse. It is just the usual opening for a prayer in Greek that asks God to do something for someone. See the notes on 2:16a.

the Lord of peace: Paul used a similar expression, “God of peace,” in 1 Thessalonians 5:23a. Here, however, the majority of commentators agree that the expression Lord of peace refers to Jesus, not God. This phrase therefore means that the Lord Jesus is the source of peace, that is, he is the one who causes people to be peaceful.

peace: As in 1 Thessalonians 5:23a, most commentators agree that Paul was using the Greek word eirēnē (peace) here as he would have used the Hebrew word šalom. He therefore meant all the blessings, physical and spiritual, that God gives to his people.

3:16b

in every way: There are two ways to understand this phrase:

(1) It means in every way and it refers to the ways the Lord can cause people to be peaceful. This is the most usual way to understand the phrase.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, God’s Word, King James Version, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) It means “in every circumstance.”

(SSA, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New American Standard Bible)

It is recommended that you follow the first option (1).

3:16c

The Lord be with all of you: This is the second thing Paul prayed for the Thessalonians, that the Lord would be with every one of them.

Lord: This refers to the Lord Jesus, as in 3:16a.

Paragraph 3:17

3:17a–b

This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. This is my mark in every letter; it is the way I write: Paul usually dictated his letters (that is, he spoke aloud what he wanted to say) so that another person could write them down for him (One cannot be sure why Paul dictated his letters to a secretary, since it is clear that he was an educated man who could read and write both Greek and Hebrew. Paul may have had poor eyesight. No one knows for sure. What Paul seems to be saying in 3:17 is, “I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand, and not by means of a secretary. This is a distinctive sign to show you that this letter is from me, Paul, and not from someone else pretending to be me. I do the same with all my letters, so that if you receive a letter without these last few words written by me, you may know that it does not come from me. That is the way I write my letters.”). However, he would often take the pen at some point to write the final part of the letter himself, presumably as a proof that it was really from him (Why was Paul afraid that someone else would write a letter that claimed to be from him? Or if he was not afraid of that, why did he write the end of this letter with his own hand? In the context, Paul has just emphasized a warning to disobedient and lazy believers. Therefore he may want to show that this letter has also come from the same person who wrote the first letter (1 Thessalonians), which they would have with them still. If they believed the first letter came from him, they would then be able to compare the handwriting of the end of each letter and see that they were the same.) See also 1 Corinthians 16:21; Galatians 6:11; Colossians 4:18. It is not clear how much of the letter Paul wrote, so you should avoid being too specific. (Which words did Paul himself write? Below are three main points of view on this:(1) Paul wrote the last few words (3:17 and 3:18) in his own handwriting.(2) Paul wrote the words of 3:17 in his own handwriting. He emphasizes that the Thessalonians should be able to recognize his own handwriting (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible). However this opinion puts too much emphasis on their ability to recognize the handwriting. It is more important to emphasize his statement that he wrote the end of all his letters by himself to show that they were truly from him.(3) Paul wrote (in his own handwriting) only the word “Paul,” or the words “Greetings from Paul” (Good News Translation). This view emphasizes that the signature was truly Paul’s writing. This is not likely to be what Paul really meant, since this is not the way he ended the first letter (1 Thessalonians). However, in two later letters (1 Corinthians 16:21 and Colossians 4:18), he wrote “the greeting of Paul with my hand.” He also wrote Philemon 19 with his own hand. He did not write his signature as the last word in his letters, as people do today. In that time, someone would know that a letter was from him usually because his name was written in the first line of the letter. But in this case, it was in the handwriting of his secretary.)

Paragraph 3:18

3:18

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you: Paul ended all his letters with a form of blessing. The form varies from letter to letter. See the note on 1 Thessalonians 5:28. Notice that there is one difference between the text there and the text in this verse. There Paul said “you.” Here he said “all of you.” Both pronouns are plural.

Several English versions include the word “Amen” at the end of the letter. This word is found in some ancient manuscripts. However, it is recommended that you not include this word in your translation, as it is not found in the manuscripts that scholars consider most reliable.

number=”1″ style=”c” sid=”1TH 1

© 2002 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

3:8a

nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it: The Greek word artos, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as food, literally means “bread.” However most English versions (except some of the older versions) agree that it means more than just bread here. There are two possibilities:

(1) It means any sort of food.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), NET Bible, God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Century Version)

(2) The expression “to eat someone’s bread” is an idiom that means “to accept someone’s hospitality.” It therefore includes lodging as well as food.

(Good News Translation, Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow the first option (1) in your translation.

without paying for it: Greek teachers often went from town to town receiving food and accepting a place to stay in return for their teaching. Paul was probably emphasizing that he and his companions were not like that. This does not mean that Paul and his companions never accepted an invitation as guests to a meal from time to time.

3:8b

Instead: In 3:7b–8a, Paul wrote what he and his companions did not do. In this part of the verse he wrote the positive, what they did do.

in labor and toil: The Greek words kopos and mochthos, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as labor and toil, are the same words that the Berean Standard Bible translated “labor” and “toil” in 1 Thessalonians 2:9a. The two words have similar meanings. Paul used this repetition to emphasize that they worked very hard. If you do not have two similar words you can use here, or if it would be unnatural for you to use such repetition, you could translate this as “laboring very diligently/hard.” The following expression “we worked night and day” also has a similar meaning, and you may have to combine all three into one expression. The second Meaning Line in the Display does this.

we worked night and day: The Greek verb form ergazomenoi, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as we worked, indicates an action that continues over a period of time. See the note on 1 Thessalonians 2:9b.

3:8c

so that we would not be a burden to any of you: The Greek word epibareō, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as be a burden, refers to not being a financial burden on the Thessalonians. Paul and his companions worked to support themselves so that they could buy their own food, rather than expecting anyone to provide it for them. This part of the verse is identical to 1 Thessalonians 2:9c in Greek.

In this part of the verse Paul used a negative expression to explain the purpose for which they worked so hard: so that we would not be a burden…. In 3:9b, he gave the positive purpose: “to offer ourselves as an example…”

© 2002 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

3:7a

For: This word introduces the grounds for the command in 3:6, that is, since Paul and his companions were a good example to the Thessalonians by working for their own food (3:7–9), the Thessalonians should avoid those who were idle (and not like Paul and his companions). Paul gives further grounds for his command in 3:10a and 3:10b.

to imitate us: This refers to the way Paul and his companions had behaved while they were in Thessalonica. It may be necessary to include this implied information in your translation. This has been done in the second Meaning Line in the Display.

3:7b

because we were not undisciplined among you: In Greek, 3:7b begins with hoti. This is a word that has a number of different uses. In this context it can mean one of two things:

(1) It introduces a specific example of the behavior the Thessalonians ought to imitate, that is, Paul and his companions not being lazy. This could be translated in English as “that is.” Perhaps you have a word or phrase in your language which means this. The English versions that omit the word probably also follow this option.

(New International Version (2011 Revision), Good News Translation, REV, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Revised English Bible, God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible, SSA)

(2) hoti means “because” and gives the reason for 3:7a.

(Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible)

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1), which is shown in the Meaning Line in the Display.

© 2002 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Section 3:6–15

Paul warned those among the Thessalonian believers who were lazy and told them that they should work

It seems that there were some believers in Thessalonica who had stopped working. This was probably because they thought the Lord Jesus was going to come back soon or that the Lord Jesus had already come back (see 2 Thessalonians 2:2). Therefore they had decided that there was no point in continuing to work. Paul warned people not to behave in this way. He reminded them how he and his companions had worked for their food when they stayed at Thessalonica so that they would not burden the other believers there. They did this in order to be a good example for the Thessalonians to follow, even though as apostles they had the right to be supported. Paul had already mentioned those who would not work in 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 and 5:14. But it seems that that warning had not had any effect.

Paragraph 3:6–10

3:6

This is a long sentence in the Greek text. You may need to divide it into several sentences in your translation.

3:6a

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: This is a strong command or warning. Paul used this full expression to show that this was not just a command from himself, it had the full authority of the Lord Jesus.

brothers: See the note on 1:3a.

3:6b

to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life: Paul was warning the Thessalonians that they should not associate with undisciplined people among the believers. It probably means that they should avoid eating with them or meeting them socially. Paul said more about this in 3:14c and 3:15a.

He did not mean that the Thessalonian believers should refuse to let these people attend meetings or exclude them completely. Avoid using a term that would make your readers think that this was what Paul was saying.

any brother who leads an undisciplined life: The word ataktōs, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as undisciplined, is related to the word used in 1 Thessalonians 5:14a. It usually means “disorderly.” As was discussed there, commentators suggest two possible meanings for the word, and the same problem occurs here. The two possibilities are:

(1) It refers to a specific form of disorderliness, that of being idle. Paul was therefore referring to a group of Thessalonian believers who had stopped working because they thought that Christ would return very soon. See 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), The Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible)

(2) The word should be understood literally and, therefore, refers to those who were unruly or disorderly, that is, they refused to obey or respect their leaders.

(King James Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, God’s Word)

The commentators are evenly divided between these two views. However, it is clear from the rest of this section that idleness was a real problem among the believers at Thessalonica. Therefore, it is recommended that you follow the first option (1). Related words occur in 3:7b and 3:11a, so make sure you translate them the same way.

brother: Even if you normally translate the term brother (when referring to a Christian brother) using a kinship term, in this context it may be better to translate it “believer.”

3:6c

the tradition: The Greek word paradosis , which the Berean Standard Bible translates as tradition, is the same word that Paul used in 2:15b. It refers to something passed down from one generation to another. Paul used the word to emphasize that what he had taught the Thessalonians was not just his own ideas but something that had been passed on to him from Jesus and that he in turn was passing on to them.

you received from us: There is a textual problem with this part of the verse (In the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament, the evidence is fairly evenly balanced for the two readings “you” and “they.” It is more likely, however, that parelabosan is the original. See the discussion in the SSA for more details.):

(1) Some Greek manuscripts have the word parelabete (you received). This is followed by most English translations.

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version (2011 Revision), NET Bible, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) Other Greek manuscripts have parelabosan, “they received.”

(Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version)

There is no great difference in meaning between the two possibilities. It is therefore recommended that you follow the majority of English versions and use the second person plural pronoun “you” to make it clear that everyone in Thessalonica had received the same teaching from Paul and his companions and that it was not just something that had been given to the lazy people.

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Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

3:5a

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love: Here, Paul was praying that the Lord would help the Thessalonians to know how much God loved them.

the Lord: This probably refers, as before, to the Lord Jesus, rather than to God the Father.

God’s love: The translation God’s love, which is found in most English versions, is ambiguous. It could mean:

(1) God’s love for Christians. Because they were suffering much persecution, the Thessalonians needed to be re-assured about how much God loved them.

(2) It means the Christians’ love for God.

In Paul’s writings, the phrase “the love of God” usually refers to the love God has for Christians, and it probably means the same here. Most commentators support this first option, and it is recommended that you follow it.

3:5b

and Christ’s perseverance: The Greek word hupomonē, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as perseverance, means “steadfastness, endurance.” It implies being faithful in a time of difficulty. Most English versions translate the phrase here Christ’s perseverance in an ambiguous way, and it can be understood in one of two ways:

(1) It means the perseverance shown by Christ when he suffered while he was on earth. He remained faithful to God when he was persecuted by the Jews and the Romans. This example of Christ should comfort and strengthen the Thessalonian Christians so that they also will endure when they were persecuted. Most commentators support this option.

(Contemporary English Version, SSA)

(2) It means the perseverance that Christ gives to believers to help them endure persecution.

(Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

It is recommended that you follow the first option (1), as it has the best support among scholars.

Christ: It may be misleading to refer to “the Lord” at the beginning of the verse and to Christ later. Make sure that it is clear in your translation that these are not two different persons. Both words refer to Jesus.

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Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

3:4a

And we have confidence in the Lord: In this context, the phrase in the Lord could be interpreted as follows:

(1) The expression connects with 3:3a (“the Lord is faithful”). Paul said there that he and the Thessalonian believers could trust the Lord Jesus to do what he had said he would do. Since this was true, Paul was also sure that the Lord Jesus was helping them and would continue to help them to believe and obey in spite of suffering and persecution.

(2) The Lord Jesus was the source of Paul’s confidence that the Thessalonians were obeying and would continue to obey what Paul had told them to do. For example:

And the Lord gives us confidence in you (Good News Translation)

(New Century Version, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word)

(3) Paul was saying that he had confidence in the Thessalonians because they, like, Paul were “in Christ.” See the SSA, page 84, for a discussion of this option.

Most English versions are ambiguous. All the options above have support in the commentaries. The Display follows the first option (1). If you wish to follow the second option, you can use the Good News Translation as a guide. If you want to follow the third option you could say:

Because you, like us^(excl) , believe in the Lord Jesus, we are confident that you…

3:4b

what we command: This may refer to all Paul had commanded in this letter, or it may refer specifically to what Paul will command in the next few verses. You should try and make your translation as general as you can.

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Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

3:3a

But: The Greek word de, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as But, signals a change of topic, but it also signals a contrast between the Lord who is faithful and the people mentioned in 3:2b who do not have faith.

the Lord is faithful: In Greek, the last word of 3:2 (pistis, “faith”) and the first word of 3:3 (pistos, “faithful”) have the same root. Paul used this play on words to introduce a new subject, the faithfulness/steadfastness of the Lord Jesus. He wanted the Thessalonians to know that the Lord would keep his promise and protect and strengthen them.

the Lord: This refers to the Lord Jesus.

3:3b

and: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible has translated as and is a transition word. In this verse, it introduces Paul’s conclusion, based on the fact that the Lord is faithful (3:3a). His conclusion is that he can be sure that the Lord will strengthen the Thessalonians and protect them from the evil one. Here are some other ways to translate this transition:

Therefore
-or-
so

He will strengthen you: Paul was sure that the Lord would strengthen the Thessalonians inwardly/spiritually.

and guard you from the evil one: Paul could also be certain that, because the Lord is faithful, he (the Lord) would protect them and enable them to resist Satan.

from the evil one: The Greek here is apo tou ponērou , which could mean either from the evil one or from “the evil thing.” There are two ways to understand this:

(1) It refers to the devil. Most English versions understand it this way and translate it as “the evil one.” Most commentators also agree with this interpretation.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Good News Translation, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), SSA)

(2) It refers to evil in general.

(King James Version, Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1), as it has strong support. The term the evil one is used elsewhere in Scripture to refer to Satan. (See Matthew 5:37, 6:13, 13:19, 13:38; John 17:15; Ephesians 6:16; 1 John 2:13–14, 3:12, 5:18–19.) If it is not clear to your readers that the expression the evil one refers to Satan, you could do one of the following:

• Use the literal expression but explain in a footnote or in the glossary that this refers to Satan.

• Include your usual term for Satan/the devil in your translation, for example, “the devil, who is called the Evil One” or “the Evil One, Satan.”

• Make no difference between this term and the way you usually refer to Satan.

All these are possible ways to translate this expression. The important thing is that you translate this expression consistently every time it is used in the NT.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.