wonder

The Greek that is often translated as “wonder” into English is different from the term that is translated as “miracle” (see miracle) since it “usually involves some unusual phenomena in nature which are a portent of dire woe or extraordinary blessing.” In Huichol these are “awe-inspiring things,” in Yucateco they are “things which show what is coming,” and in Eastern Highland Otomi the expression must be cast into the form of a verb phrase “they will amaze the people.”

sign

The Greek that is typically translated in English as “sign” is translated in Huehuetla Tepehua as “thing to be marveled at” (source: Larson 1889, p. 279) and in Mairasi as “big work” (source: Enggavoter 2004).

Satan

The Greek that is typically transliterated in English as “Satan” is transliterated in Kipsigis as “Setani.” This is interesting because it is not only a transliteration that approximates the Greek sound but it is also an existing Kipsigis word with the meaning of “ugly” and “sneaking.” (Source: Earl Anderson in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 85ff. )

In Morelos Nahuatl it is translated as “envious one” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.) and in Tibetan: bdud (བདུད།), lit. “chief devil” (except in Rev. 20:2, where it is transliterated) (source: gSungrab website ).

See also devil.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Satan .

complete verse (2 Thessalonians 2:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Thessalonians 2:9:

  • Uma: “As for that evil person, he will appear with big power from the King of Evil, and he will do all kinds of surprising signs that deceive [others].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This person who opposes God will come out/appear with power from the leader of demons. He will do all kinds of powerful works/deeds and show signs and miracles/wonder-causing deeds to deceive the people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When that greatest transgressor is revealed in the future, he will use the power of Satan and he will show his power by means of all kinds of false signs and miracles.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But before his defeat, since the power of Satanas will be in him, he will show all kinds of miracles and amazing signs” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This Epitome of Rebelliousness who will appear on the scene, his knowledge/skill (usually occult) is very big, knowledge coming from Satanas. He will keep doing very many amazing things, which will testify to his ability, that being with what he will fool people.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “When the evil person does appear, the devil will give him power. It will be seen that he has power to do miracles which no one can do. By this he will deceive.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Thessalonians 2:9

Here as in verse 8, Good News Translation changes the noun “coming” into an active verb come. But here it is not the Lord Jesus but the Wicked One who comes. Good News Bible and some other translations mark this change by a new sentence.

The grammatical structure of the Greek is not clear. The Wicked One will come may be linked with (1) “by the activity of Satan,” (2) “with all power…,” or (3) “for (the destruction of) those who will perish.” The third possibility is remote. “By the activity of Satan” comes first in the Greek, and it seems more natural to understand it as the basis of the signs and wonders, rather than simply as an aside. This is the view taken by most translators (e.g. New English Bible “the coming of that wicked man is the work of Satan,” cf. Moffatt Phillips Jerusalem Bible Barclay Translator’s New Testament; Revised Standard Version “the coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power….”)

Will come reflects a present tense in Greek (see the notes on vv. 9-12). Translators must avoid making nonsense of the passage by suggesting that the Wicked One had already come. Yet there is a serious problem involved in the future form of the verb will come since it repeats the beginning of verse 8 and so seems to contradict what has been said in the latter part of that same verse. It may be necessary, therefore, to refer to the coming of the Wicked One as a temporal setting for the kinds of miracles, signs, and wonders which he will perform, for example, “when the Wicked One comes with the power of Satan, he will perform all kinds of miracles….”

On the power of Satan, see verse 7. Satan should be carefully distinguished in translation from his servant the Wicked One. A literal rendering of with the power of Satan might suggest that the Wicked One was merely carrying along Satan’s power. It may be necessary to introduce this phrase as a parenthetical and explanatory statement, for example, “Satan himself will give the Wicked One his power,” or “he will have Satan’s power.”

All kinds of false miracles raises two separate questions, one about all, and the other about miracles. (1) All may mean (a) all kinds of (Good News Translation cf. Jerusalem Bible Barclay New English Bible Translator’s New Testament), as in Matthew 4.23 (Good News Translation “every kind of disease”), or (b) “to the highest degree,” as in Philippians 1.20 (Good News Translation “full of courage,” literally “with all courage”). Moffatt (“the full power”) and Phillips (“all the force”) choose this second meaning of all. (2) When the Greek word dunamis “power” is used in the plural, it often means miracles. But in this verse, dunamis is in the singular, and Moffatt Revised Standard Version Phillips New English Bible Barclay accordingly translate it as “power.” Combining these two choices, the translator has in practice two possibilities: (1) “all kinds of power” (New English Bible Barclay); (2) “power in the highest degree” (Moffatt Phillips).

Good News Translation, however, combines the expression of power (so frequently used to refer to supernatural force) with the following two Greek terms, generally translated as “signs and wonders.” The resulting coalesced expression is perhaps the closest natural equivalent of a rather unusual Greek phrase.

It is also possible to translate “power in the highest degree,” leaving the false miracles and wonders to be understood as examples of this power. However, all kinds of fits in better with every kind of wicked deceit in verse 10, so “all kinds of power” is perhaps to be preferred. It may be necessary to translate as “he will demonstrate all kinds of power,” or “he will show that he has all kinds of power,” and then to bring in the false miracles in an added phrase, for example, “by causing people to see false miracles.”

“Signs and wonders” are often linked together, especially by Luke in Acts, in speaking of the miracles performed by the apostles. “Signs” indicates the significance of the event: God is active in a special way, the time of his final victory is near. “Wonders” stresses the astonishment of those who see these events. The combination of the two is so common in principle it would be possible to link them in translation as “miraculous signs” or “amazing and significant happenings.”

False miracles and wonders may mean (1) apparent signs and wonders which are really fakes (Knox uses the word “counterfeit,” cf. Revised Standard Version “pretended”); (2) signs and wonders which come from a false source (Moffatt “the full power, the miracles and portents, of falsehood,” cf. New English Bible); or (3) signs and wonders “calculated to deceive” (Barclay). It is difficult to find any parallel to (1) false miracles and wonders in the New Testament, for the New Testament normally takes seriously even those miracles which are performed by evil powers. (2) fits in well with the reference to Satan as the ultimate cause of these events. (3) fits in well with the more detailed description of those who will perish, especially in verse 11, and is perhaps slightly preferable. Accordingly, false miracles and wonders may be rendered as “signs and wonders which deceive people,” or “… which cause them to turn the wrong way” (using an idiom which refers to general behavior). It may be possible to combine miracles and wonders as “wonderful events” or “very astonishing happenings.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Thessalonians 2:9

2:9

This is a difficult verse to understand. There are many different interpretations, both concerning the meanings of words and of the grammatical structure. It is not possible to cover all possibilities here. These notes will mainly follow the interpretation found in the Berean Standard Bible. For an alternative interpretation (supported by the Good News Translation), see the SSA, page 67.

2:9a

The coming of the lawless one: Here Paul used the Greek word parousia (coming) to speak about the time when the Wicked Person (“man of lawlessness”) will be revealed. This is the word normally used to speak of Jesus’ second coming (as in 2:8c).

the lawless one: This is another way to refer to the “man of lawlessness”.

will be accompanied by the working of Satan: That is, when the man of lawlessness comes, he will have the power that comes from Satan to help him do certain things. It does not mean that it is Satan’s power that cause him to be revealed.

2:9b

with every kind of: The commentators do not agree about whether these words are connected to only the first item in the list that follows (that is, power) or to all three words. It is recommended that you follow the Berean Standard Bible and connect them to each word in the list.

power, sign, and false wonder: These three Greek words dunamis (power), sēmeion (sign), and teras (wonder) also occur together in Acts 2:22, 2 Corinthians 12:12, and Hebrews 2:4. You should compare how you have translated these terms in these other passages. All three words refer to supernatural occurrences.

power: The Greek word dunamis that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as power can refer to some miraculous act of healing or other act that could not be done by human power or knowledge.

sign: The Greek word sēmeion, which is usually translated as sign, refers to a miracle that has a meaning, usually to indicate that the person who does the miracle comes from God. This word is used frequently in the Gospel of John, and you should check how you translated it there.

wonder: This refers to the effect that miracles have on people who see them happen, that is, they are that which amaze the people who see them.

2:10a

with every wicked deception directed against: The Greek literally is: “with all deceit of unrighteousness.” This probably refers to any evil trick or method that will deceive people. The Wicked Person (“man of lawlessness”) will deceive people by the evil things he does. These tricks are in addition to “every kind of power, sign, and false wonder” in 2:9b.

those who are perishing: That is, “those who are being destroyed.” This verb is related to the word translated “destruction” in 2:3d. The New Testament writers speak about the punishment of evil people as “destruction.” But it is clear from the New Testament that this does not mean that they cease to exist. This is why the term “eternal destruction” was used in 1:9a. Avoid using any words that suggest that after death, these people cease to exist.

2:10b

because: The rest of the verse gives the reason why these people perish, that is, because they refused the love of the truth.

they refused the love of the truth: To love the truth is more than just believing the truth; it means to accept and welcome the truth. This is what these people have refused to do.

the truth: In this context these words mean “the truth about Jesus Christ.”

2:10c

that would have saved them: If these people had loved the truth, then God would have saved them from eternal punishment. This is a result clause. It states that if they had loved the truth, the result would have been that God would have saved them.

2:11a

For this reason: This phrase refers back to 2:10b: God sends a powerful delusion because these people refuse to love the truth. He wants everybody to repent and be saved. However, if they stubbornly refuse to accept the truth, he then makes it easier for them to believe lies and harder for them to repent.

a powerful delusion: This phrase is literally “a working of error” in the Greek. This refers to something that works in people’s minds and hearts and causes them to be deluded/deceived. Paul did not say how God does this or what sort of delusion he was referring to.

In your translation, avoid making it sound as if there is something evil in God’s nature. People have already rejected the truth about Jesus Christ. What God does here is the result of that.

2:11b

the lie: Commentators do not agree about what Paul was referring to here. There are two possibilities:

(1) It refers to the man of lawlessness, all his false miracles and, above all, his claim that he is God (2:4b).

(2) It refers to lies in general. It refers to lies about what is false and what is true, about what is bad and what is good.

Most English versions are vague, but in this context, they probably support the first option (1). It is recommended that you follow the first option also because:

(a) It fits the context. The main topic of this section is that the Wicked Person (“man of lawlessness”) will appear, he will claim that he is God (2:4), and he will do all kinds of miracles to deceive people and cause them to think that what he claims about himself is true (2:9).

(b) The lie in 2:11 contrasts with the truth in 2:10 and 2:12. The truth refers to the true message about Jesus Christ. The lie refers to the false message about the Wicked Person (“man of lawlessness”).

2:12a

in order that judgment may come upon all: There are two ways to understand the Greek word hina, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as in order that:

(1) It indicates the purpose of 2:11, that is, God sends a powerful delusion so that he may judge them.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, SSA, King James Version, Revised English Bible; almost every commentary)

(2) It indicates the result of 2:11, that is, God sends a powerful delusion and, as a result, they will be condemned.

(Good News Translation, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), God’s Word)

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

all: Paul was not saying that everyone would be condemned, but that every person who had disbelieved the truth (2:12a) and had “delighted in wickedness” (2:12b) would be condemned. You should use whatever grammatical order in your language will make this clear. One way would be to use an active verb here:

so that God will condemn all who…

who have disbelieved the truth: This is the first description of those who will be condemned. It refers to the same people as 2:10b.

2:12b

and delighted in wickedness: This is the second description of the people who will be condemned. It contrasts with 2:12a. These people have not believed the truth, rather, they have delighted in wickedness.

delighted in wickedness: That is, these people really enjoyed behaving in wicked ways.

Section 2:13–17

The Thessalonian believers should continue to believe the gospel firmly

Paul was reminding the Thessalonians that God had chosen to save them and to honor them in his kingdom. He therefore encouraged them to believe firmly in what he had taught them. He prayed that God and Christ would encourage and strengthen them so that they would continue behaving in a way that would please God.

Paragraph 2:13–15

2:13a

But: The Greek word de, which the Berean Standard Bible translates But, can mean different things. There are two possibilities here:

(1) It indicates that this is a new section and topic for Paul. In English versions, this usually means that the word is left untranslated.

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

(2) It indicates a contrast with something in the previous section and should be translated “but.”

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, King James Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

Commentators agree that Paul began a new section here. He stopped talking about the coming of the Wicked Person (“man of lawlessness”) and began to instruct the believers at Thessalonica directly. So it is recommended that you follow the first option (1) and use a natural way in your language to signal a new section.

we should always thank God for you: See the note on 1:3a.

brothers who are loved by the Lord: This is an example of a vocative phrase, that is, a term of direct address to someone. Consider what would be the natural position in the sentence for this in your language. In some languages, vocative phrases come at the beginning of a sentence. In other languages, they can occur elsewhere in the sentence. See the note on “brothers loved by God” in 1 Thessalonians 1:4.

Here Paul was reassuring the believers that Jesus loved them. He was not saying that they were a special group of believers whom Jesus loved and that there were other believers whom Jesus did not love.

brothers: See the note on 1:3a

the Lord: Nearly every commentator agrees that the Lord here refers to the Lord Jesus rather than to God.

2:13b

because God has chosen you from the beginning: The Greek word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as has chosen is aireomai. It means “to select something for a purpose.” Paul was reminding the Thessalonians that God had selected them for his own purpose. Paul said that purpose was so that they might “be saved” (2:13c).

from the beginning: There is a textual problem with this expression. There are two options:

(1) Some early Greek manuscripts have the phrase ap’ archēs. This literally means from the beginning. This is supported by the majority of commentators. (For a discussion of this alternative, see also Callow, p. 78 and Best, p. 314.)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), REV, NET Bible, God’s Word, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, SSA, Revised English Bible)

(2) Other early Greek manuscripts use the word aparchēn. This means “as his first fruits.” (If you decide to follow alternative (2), here is a suggested translation for 2:13b: We…thank God… because he picked you out from the others in Thessalonica to be among the first to be rescued from the power and results of sin.)

(Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Contemporary English Version)

It is not possible to be sure which of these possibilities is correct. However because most translations follow the first option (1), it is recommended that you also use from the beginning in your translation. You can place the alternative in a footnote if you wish.

Most commentators agree that the phrase from the beginning refers to the beginning of time, when God created the world. You may need to supply this implied information in your translation.

2:13c

to be saved: Paul here gives the purpose for God’s choice of the Thessalonians: It was so that they might be saved from the eternal destruction that the unbelievers will suffer (2:12a).

by the sanctification of the Spirit: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as by the sanctification of spirit, along with 2:13d, explains the means by which God saved the Thessalonians. Here is another way to translate this:

through the sanctifying work of the Spirit (New International Version (2011 Revision))

the sanctification of the Spirit: Once a person becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit begins his work of sanctification in them. This is a process that lasts as long as the believer lives and that will only be fully completed when Jesus returns. It refers to the work that the Holy Spirit does in someone’s life to make him more holy/pure, more like God wants him to be.

of the Spirit: Most commentators agree that this refers to the Holy Spirit.

2:13d

by faith in the truth: This is the second means by which God saves people. Paul was contrasting the Thessalonians who had believed the true message about Jesus with those who will be condemned because they have “disbelieved the truth” (2:12a).

2:14a

To this: Commentators agree that the word this here refers to all the words in 2:13c–d, that is, God had called the Thessalonians “to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth.”

He called you: The Greek kaleō, which is normally translated as called, means “to summon someone to do something.” God had chosen the Thessalonian believers long before they were born (2:13b). But this choice was fulfilled when they first heard the gospel and God called them to believe it. See the note on “His calling” in 1:11b.

through our gospel: That is, “by means of our gospel.” People cannot start to believe in the truth about Jesus unless they have first heard that truth from someone. In the case of the Thessalonians, they first heard it from Paul and his companions.

our gospel: The word our does not mean that Paul and his companions invented this gospel. Paul meant that it was the gospel that he and his companions preached.

2:14b

so that you may share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ: This is one of the purposes for which God called the Thessalonians: to share in Christ’s glory.

The Greek for 2:14b literally says: “for/into the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Here is one way to translate this:

so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (Revised Standard Version)

However, this could be understood as saying that the Thessalonians would take Christ’s glory from him and keep it for themselves. In this context, it actually means that, as believers, the Thessalonians will share in the greatness that Jesus Christ has in heaven.

glory: In this context, to share Jesus’ glory means to share his greatness/majesty.

2:15a

Therefore: Paul had been preparing the believers for the important command he was going to give them. He introduced his command with a Greek phrase ara oun, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as Therefore. Paul was saying, “In view of all that I have just said…” This refers to all he had said in 2:1–14.

brothers: See the note on 1:3a.

stand firm: Paul typically used the metaphor stand firm to mean “to continue to believe firmly in (something).” Paul wanted the Thessalonians to continue believing what he had taught them, no matter what happened.

2:15b

cling to the traditions we taught you: Most commentators and English versions understand this to be a second command to the Thessalonians. Most English versions therefore connect this verse part to 2:15a with a coordinating word such as “and.”

the traditions we taught you: The Greek word paradosis , which the Berean Standard Bible translates as traditions, normally 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. (The Greek word paradosis here possibly refers to a specific body of teaching, such as some form of creed and catechism. These important teachings would help to ensure unity from church to church in the absence of the apostles and before the New Testament had been written.)

2:15c

by speech: This refers to the time when Paul had been in Thessalonica and taught them personally.

by letter: This probably refers to the letter known as 1 Thessalonians.

Paragraph 2:16–17

Paul prayed for the Thessalonians, that the Lord Jesus and God the Father would encourage and strengthen them to continue behaving and speaking in a way that would please God.

2:16a

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father: These words in Paul’s letters usually indicate a blessing of some sort. See the notes on 1 Thessalonians 3:11 and 5:23a.

our Lord Jesus Christ…and God our Father: See the note on 1:1c.

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 1 Thessalonians 3:11.

2:16b

who by grace has loved us: Most commentators agree that this clause refers only to God the Father.

by grace: The Greek word charis, which most English versions translate as grace in this verse, refers to God’s kindness/favor, which he shows to people. Most commentators say the phrase by grace means “by means of acting in grace, by means of showing favor toward.”

2:16c

given us: God the Father is probably the only subject of this verb in this verse, rather that both Jesus and God.

eternal comfort: Paul was saying that God’s encouragement never ends but goes on forever. Some other ways to translate this are:

unfailing encouragement (Revised English Bible)
-or-
encouragement that continues forever (New Century Version)
-or-
ceaseless encouragement (New Jerusalem Bible)

good hope: The majority of commentators agree that this means “a firm/sure hope.”

2:17a

encourage your hearts: While some older English versions use the word “comfort,” this is actually a prayer that the Lord Jesus and God the Father will actively encourage the Thessalonian believers to continue believing in Jesus.

your hearts: The expression your hearts refers to the inner being, a person’s thoughts, feelings, and purposes (see the note on 1 Thessalonians 2:4c). Paul was therefore asking the Lord Jesus and God to encourage the Thessalonians inwardly.

2:17b

in every good word and deed: The phrase every good relates to both word and deed. In your translation it may be natural to change word and deed to verbs, for example, “in everything you do and everything you say.” See the Meaning Line in the Display for 2:17b.

word and deed: There is a textual problem with this part of the verse.

(1) Some Greek manuscripts say “word and deed.”

(Berean Standard Bible, King James Version).

(2) Other Greek manuscripts say “deed and word.”

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

There is no great difference in meaning between the two possibilities. Express the meaning in a natural way in your language. For example:

always to do and say the right thing (Contemporary English Version)

General Comment on 2:16–17

Because of the long relative clauses in 2:16b–c, it may be necessary in some languages to treat these clauses as separate sentences. Two possible ways to do this are:

• Place these descriptive sentences at the beginning of 2:16. For example:

16God our Father loved us and by his kindness gave us everlasting encouragement and good hope. Together with our Lord Jesus Christ, 17may he encourage and strengthen you to do and say everything that is good. (God’s Word)

• Combine 2:16 and 2:17 and place the descriptive sentences at the end of the two verses. For example:

16–17May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father encourage you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. God loved us, and through his grace he gave us a good hope and encouragement that continues forever. (New Century Version)

If you need to reorder these verses in one of these ways, you should choose the order that makes it clear that Paul’s prayer is the main part of the verse and the descriptive sentences are extra information.

3:1a

Finally: The Greek phrase to loipon, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as Finally, indicates that Paul was beginning to deal with the remaining matters he wished to write about. As in many of his other letters, he now began to instruct the Thessalonians about how Christians should behave. See the note on 1 Thessalonians 4:1a. However, here in 2 Thessalonians, Paul used the word much nearer the end of his letter, so it may be possible here in some languages to use a term such as Finally.

brothers: See the note on 1:3a.

pray for us: This is the same phrase as occurred in 1 Thessalonians 5:25. You should translate it in the same way here.

3:1b

the word of the Lord: In this context, this phrase refers to “the message about the Lord,” as it did in 1 Thessalonians 1:8a.

may spread quickly: The Berean Standard Bible has used this expression to translate the Greek verb trechō, which literally means “to run.” Paul was using a metaphor. He was comparing the rapid spread of the gospel to someone who is running to take good news to others. English versions translate the idea of speed by using words such as “rapidly,” “quickly,” or “swift.”

It is implied that Paul and his companions would be the ones who would take the gospel to other places. It may be necessary for you to make this explicit in your translation.

3:1c

and be held in honor: This is literally “and be glorified.” Scholars do not agree about what this means here. There are two possibilities:

(1) It refers to people honoring the message when they hear it and then obeying it.

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

(2) It refers to the great success Paul wished for the gospel he preached.

(Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible).

It is recommended that you follow the first option (1), along with most English versions and commentators.

just as it was with you: The words it was are not translated from any words in the Greek, but they are implied. The commentators, however, do not agree about what the tense of the verb should be. There are two possibilities:

(1) It should be the past tense. The emphasis is on the way the Thessalonians honored the gospel when Paul first preached to them. This, of course, does not mean that they no longer honored the gospel.

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

(2) It should be the present tense. The emphasis is on how the Thessalonians continued to honor the gospel.

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

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

There is one other problem that commentators discuss about this part of the verse. They disagree about which verb or verbs the expression just as it was with you is connected to. There are two possibilities:

(1) It relates only to “held in honor.”

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

(2) It relates to “spread quickly” and to “held in honor.”

(Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Standard Bible; probably New Century Version and New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

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

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