1 Thessalonians 1:7

Contextual Overview

⁶You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. ⁶ You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. ⁶ You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁶You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁶We told y'all when you saddled up for the Lord it wouldn't be easy. Y'all have suffered just like we said you would and you did it gladly, like top hands should. Y'all rode the way we showed ya and talked like we told ya. ⁶ And you took us and the Lord as your example, after the word had come to you in much trouble, with joy in the Holy Spirit; ⁶ and *ye* became our imitators, and of the Lord, having accepted the word in much tribulation with joy of [the] Holy Spirit, ⁶ and you became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit. ⁶ You became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ And ye became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ensamples: 1 Thessalonians 4:10, 1 Timothy 4:12, Titus 2:7, 1 Peter 5:3

in: 1 Thessalonians 1:8, Acts 16:12, Acts 1:13, Acts 18:1, 2 Corinthians 1:1, 2 Corinthians 9:2, 2 Corinthians 11:9, 2 Corinthians 11:10

Reciprocal: Mark 8:38 - when Acts 16:9 - Macedonia Acts 18:12 - Achaia 2 Corinthians 8:1 - churches 1 Thessalonians 1:10 - wait 2 Thessalonians 3:7 - how

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning-the second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the vault "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament the heauen: and the euenyng and the mornyng were the seconde day.

Genesis 1:8
God named that space "sky." There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God clepide the firmament, heuene. And the euentid and morwetid was maad, the secounde dai.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament, Heauen: and the euening and the morning were the second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So that ye were ensamples to all that believe,.... They were not only followers of Christ and his apostles, whom they took for examples of faith, holiness, courage, meekness, and patience; but they were patterns of good works; and of suffering afflictions to other believers, even to all that knew them, or heard of them, particularly

in Macedonia; as at Philippi and other places: though the Gospel was first preached there, and they had received it, and a Gospel church state was formed there; yet these were more forward in the exercise of grace and discharge of duty, and were even ensamples to them to copy after; so the first are sometimes last, and the last first:

and Achaia; another part of Greece, the metropolis of which was Corinth, where there also was a very considerable church; but these saints at Thessalonica set them an example in many things, and particularly in acts of beneficence and liberality, being one of the churches of Macedonia spoken of in 2 Corinthians 8:1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

So that ye were ensamples to all that believe - Examples in reference to the firmness with which you embraced the gospel, the fidelity with which you adhered to it in trials, and the zeal which you showed in spreading it abroad. These things are specified in the previous and subsequent verses as characterizing their piety. The word here rendered “ensamples” - τύπον tupon, singular - is that from which the word type is derived. It properly denotes anything caused or produced by the means of “blows” (from τύπτω tuptō), and hence a mark, print, or impression, made by a stamp or die; and then a resemblance, figure, pattern, exemplar - a model after which anything is made. This is the meaning here. They became, as it were, a model or pattern after which the piety of others should be moulded, or showed what the piety of others ought to be.

In Macedonia - Thessalonica was an important city of Macedonia (see the Intro.; compare notes, Acts 16:9), and of course their influence would be felt on the whole of the surrounding region. This is a striking instance of the effect which a church in a city may have on the country. The influence of a city church may be felt, and will usually be felt afar on the other churches of a community - just as, in all other respects, a city has an important influence on the country at large.

And Achaia - Achaia proper was the part of Greece of which Corinth was the capital. The word, however, was sometimes so used as to comprehend the whole of Greece, and in this sense it seems to be employed here, as there is no reason to suppose that their influence would be felt particularly in the province of which Corinth was the center. Koppe observes that Macedonia and Achaia were the two provinces into which all Greece was divided when it was brought under the Roman yoke, the former of which comprehended Macedonia proper, Illyricum, Epirus, and Thessaly, and the other Greece properly so called. The meaning here is, therefore, that their influence was felt on all the parts of Greece; that their piety was spoken of, and the effect of their conversion had been felt in all those places. Thessalonica was a commercial city, and a sea-port. It had contact with all the other parts of Macedonia, with Greece, and with Asia Minor. It was partly owing to the advantages of its situation that its influence was thus felt.

Its own merchants and mariners who went abroad would carry with them the spirit of the religion of the church there, and those who visited it from other ports would see the effect of religion there. This is just an instance, therefore, of the influence which a commercial town and a sea-port may have in religion on other parts of the world. A revival of religion in such a place will extend its influence afar to other places, and appropriate zeal among the friends of the Redeemer there may have an important effect on sea-ports, and towns, and lands far remote. It is impossible to over-estimate the importance of such places in regard to the spread of the gospel; and Christians who reside there - be they merchants, mechanics, lawyers, physicians, mariners, or ministers of the gospel, should feel that on them God has placed the responsibility of using a vast influence in sending the gospel to other lands. He that goes forth from a commercial town should be imbued with the spirit of the gospel, and churches located there should be so under the influence of religion, that they who come among them from abroad shall bear to their own lands honorable testimony of the power of religion there.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. Ye were ensamples — τοπους. Types, models, or patterns; according to which all the Churches in Macedonia and Achaia formed both their creed and their conduct.