SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Thessalonians 1:2

1:2

Grace and peace to you: This is a typical greeting that both Paul and Peter used in their letters. See 1 Thessalonians 1:1d.

Grace: Here Grace refers to the way God blesses people both materially and spiritually.

peace: Here peace refers to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being in all circumstances, even when there is trouble and difficulty.

you: The word you throughout the whole letter of 2 Thessalonians is plural.

from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Here in 2 Thessalonians Paul made it very clear that such grace and peace came from God and Jesus.

God our Father: There is a textual problem with this verse:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts say patros hēmōn, “our Father.”

(Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, English Standard Version, God’s Word, Good News Translation, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) Other Greek manuscripts say patros, “the Father.”

(New Century Version, NET Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow the first option (1) along with the reading of the Berean Standard Bible and the majority of English versions. However, if the national language version that is most popular in your area says “the Father, you may wish to use that reading. If so, see how you translated that expression in 1 Thessalonians 1:1c. In some languages, it is not possible to say simply “the father.” Rather, it is necessary to specify whose father is being referred to, that is, “our father” or “his father.” If this is the case in your language, you should use the possessive pronoun “our(incl) ,” even if you are translating the Greek expression “the Father.”

This verse is really a prayer. The second meaning line in the Display for 1:2 gives a way to express this.

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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.