2 Thessalonians 2:16

Contextual Overview

¹⁶We pray that the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father will comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. God loved us and gave us through his grace a wonderful hope and comfort that has no end. ¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, ¹⁶ Oure lorde Iesu Christ hym silfe and God oure father which hath loved vs and hath geven vs everlastynge consolacion and good hope thorowe grace ¹⁶ Now our Lord Yeshua the Messiah himself, and God, our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, ¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,¹⁶May 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. ¹⁶ Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, ¹⁶ Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, ¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, ¹⁶ Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

our Lord: 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, Romans 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 3:11

which: 2 Thessalonians 2:13, John 3:16, John 13:1, John 15:9, John 15:13, Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:4, Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 5:2, Ephesians 5:25, Titus 3:4-7, 1 John 3:16, 1 John 4:9, 1 John 4:10, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 3:9

everlasting: Psalms 103:17, Isaiah 35:10, Isaiah 51:11, Isaiah 60:19, Isaiah 60:20, Isaiah 61:7, Luke 16:25, John 4:14, John 14:16-18, John 16:22, 2 Corinthians 4:17, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Hebrews 6:18, 1 Peter 1:5-8, Revelation 7:16, Revelation 7:17, Revelation 22:5

good: Romans 5:2-5, Romans 8:24, Romans 8:25, Colossians 1:5, Colossians 1:23, 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Titus 1:2, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 6:11, Hebrews 6:12, Hebrews 6:19, Hebrews 7:19, 1 Peter 1:3-5, 1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:3

through: Acts 15:11, Acts 18:27, Romans 4:4, Romans 4:16, Romans 5:2, Romans 11:5, Romans 11:6

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 29:10 - our father 1 Chronicles 29:18 - prepare Psalms 90:17 - establish Proverbs 10:28 - hope Isaiah 45:17 - an everlasting Isaiah 49:13 - the Lord Isaiah 51:6 - my salvation Isaiah 51:19 - by whom Isaiah 54:8 - but Isaiah 61:2 - to comfort Micah 6:8 - what is Mark 10:30 - an hundredfold Luke 2:14 - good Luke 11:2 - Our John 5:23 - all men John 14:18 - will not John 14:21 - that loveth John 16:20 - your John 16:24 - in John 17:26 - that Acts 9:31 - and in Acts 14:23 - they commended Acts 16:5 - so Acts 20:12 - were Romans 5:5 - hope Romans 8:35 - shall separate Romans 8:37 - him Romans 12:12 - Rejoicing Romans 15:13 - fill Romans 16:25 - to him 1 Corinthians 1:2 - with 2 Corinthians 1:4 - comforteth 2 Corinthians 1:5 - so 2 Corinthians 7:6 - that comforteth 2 Corinthians 13:11 - be of good Galatians 1:4 - our Ephesians 1:18 - is Ephesians 2:12 - having Ephesians 4:4 - as Philippians 2:1 - any consolation Colossians 1:3 - praying Colossians 2:2 - their 1 Thessalonians 3:13 - he may 1 Thessalonians 5:8 - the hope 2 Thessalonians 2:17 - Comfort 1 Timothy 1:1 - is Titus 2:11 - the grace Hebrews 3:6 - rejoicing Hebrews 5:9 - eternal Revelation 14:6 - everlasting

Cross-References

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Genesis 2:1
And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Genesis 2:1
So the sky, the earth, and all that filled them were finished.

Genesis 2:1
The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them.

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Genesis 2:1
The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Genesis 2:1
So the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts (inhabitants).

Genesis 2:1
Therfor heuenes and erthe ben maad perfit, and al the ournement of tho.

Genesis 2:1
And the heavens and the earth are completed, and all their host;

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself,.... The apostle having exhorted the saints to perseverance, closes this second part of his epistle, relating to the coming of Christ, with a prayer for the saints, that they might be comforted and established. The objects addressed are Christ and the Father. And in each of their characters are reasons contained, encouraging to believe the petitions will be regarded; for it is "our Lord Jesus Christ himself" who is prayed unto; who is our Lord, not by creation only, in which sense he is Lord of all, but by redemption, and through a marriage relation; and he is our Jesus, our Saviour, and Redeemer; and our Christ, the anointed prophet, priest, and King; even he himself, who stands in these relations and offices; and what may not be expected from him?

and God, even our Father; not by creation, but by adoption; and as it is in his power, he has a heart to give, and will give good things unto his children: and inasmuch as Christ is equally addressed as the object of prayer as the Father, and is indeed here set before him, or first mentioned, it may be concluded that there is an entire equality between them, and that Christ is truly and properly God; otherwise religious worship, of which prayer is a considerable branch, would not be given him, nor would he be set upon an equal foot with the other, and much less before him. The Arabic version reads, "our Lord Jesus Christ, our Father"; and the Ethiopic version also, "our Lord Jesus Christ, God our Father"; as if the whole of this, or all these epithets and characters, belong to Christ, and he was the only person addressed; but the common reading is best: which hath loved us; this refers both to the Father and to Christ. The Father had loved them with an everlasting and unchangeable love, as appeared by his choosing them unto salvation by Christ, securing them in his hands, and making an everlasting covenant with him, on their account; by sending his Son to be the Saviour of them; by regenerating, quickening, and calling them by his grace, adopting them into his family, pardoning all their sins, justifying their persons, and giving them both a meetness for, and a right unto eternal glory. And Christ, he had loved them with the same love; and which he showed by undertaking their cause in the council of peace; by espousing their persons in the covenant of grace; by assuming their nature in the fulness of time; by dying in their room and stead; and by his continued intercession and mediation for them, and by many other instances. And since they had such a share in the affection both of the Father and the Son, it need not to have been doubted but that what was prayed for would be granted: to which is added,

and hath given us everlasting consolation: all true solid consolation is from God and Christ: God is called the God of all comfort; and if there be any real consolation, it is in, by, and from Christ; and it is the gift of God, an instance of his grace and favour, and not a point of merit; the least degree of consolation is not deserved, and ought not to be reckoned small: and it is everlasting; it does not indeed always continue, as to the sensible enjoyment of it, in this life, being often interrupted by indwelling sin, the hidings of God's and the temptations of Satan, yet the ground and foundation of it is everlasting; such as the everlasting love of God, the everlasting covenant of grace, the everlasting righteousness of Christ, and everlasting salvation by him, and he himself, who is the consolation of Israel, as well as the blessed Spirit, the Comforter, who ever abides as the earnest and pledge of future happiness. And the present spiritual joy of the saints is what no man can take away from them, and what will eventually issue in everlasting consolation, without any interruption in the world to come, when sorrow and sighing shall flee away, and all tears be wiped from their eyes:

and good hope through grace. The Syriac version reads, "in his grace"; and the Ethiopic version, "a good hope; and his grace", hope, as well as faith, is the gift of God, a free grace gift of his: and it may be called a good one, because God is the author of it; and it is built on a good foundation, the person, blood, and righteousness of Christ; and is of good things to come, and therefore called the blessed hope; and is what is sure and certain, and will never deceive, nor make ashamed; and since consolation is given here, and hope of happiness hereafter, it may be concluded the following requests will be regarded.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself - This expression is equivalent to this: “I pray our Lord Jesus, and our Father, to comfort you.” It is really a prayer offered to the Saviour - a recognition of Christ as the source of consolation as well as the Father, and a union of his name with that of the Father in invoking important blessings. It is such language as could be used only by one who regarded the Lord Jesus as divine.

And God even our Father - Greek: “And God, and (και kai) our Father;” though not incorrectly rendered “even our Father.” If it should be contended that the use of the word “and” - “our Lord Jesus Christ, and God,” proves that the Lord Jesus is a different being from God - the use of the same word “and” would prove that the “Father” is a different being from God. But the truth is, the apostle meant to speak of the Father and the Son as the common Source of the blessing for which he prayed.

Which hath loved us - Referring particularly to the Father. The love which is referred to is that manifested in redemption, or which is shown us through Christ; see John 3:16; 1 John 4:9.

And hath given us everlasting consolation. - Not temporary comfort, but that which will endure forever. The joys of religion are not like other joys. They soon fade away - they always terminate at death - they cease when trouble comes, when sickness invades the frame, when wealth or friends depart, when disappointment lowers, when the senses by age refuse to minister as they once did to our pleasures. The comforts of religion depend upon no such contingencies. They live through all these changes - attend us in sickness, poverty, bereavement, losses, and age; they are with us in death, and they are perpetual and unchanging beyond the grave.

And good hope through grace - see the Romans 5:2, Romans 5:5 notes; Hebrews 6:19 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 16. Now our Lord Jesus — As all your grace came from God through Christ, so the power that is necessary to strengthen and confirm you unto the end must come in the same way.

Everlasting consolation — Παρακλησιν αιωνιαν· The glad tidings of the Gospel, and the comfort which ye have received through believing; a gift which God had in his original purpose, in reference to the Gentiles; a purpose which has respected all times and places, and which shall continue to the conclusion of time; for the Gospel is everlasting, and shall not be superseded by any other dispensation. It is the last and best which God has provided for man; and it is good tidings, everlasting consolation-a complete system of complete peace and happiness. The words may also refer to the happiness which the believing Thessalonians then possessed.

And good hope through grace — The hope of the Gospel was the resurrection of the body, and the final glorification of it and the soul throughout eternity. This was the good hope which the Thessalonians had; not a hope that they should be pardoned or sanctified, c. Pardon and holiness they enjoyed, therefore they were no objects of hope but the resurrection of the body and eternal glory were necessarily future; these they had in expectation; these they hoped for; and, through the grace which they had already received they had a good hope-a well-grounded expectation, of this glorious state.