Bible Commentaries
1 Thessalonians 1

Verses 1-10

Chapter 1

1 Saint Paul certifieth them of the good opinion which he had of their faith, love, and patience: 11 and therewithal useth divers reasons for the comforting of them in persecution, whereof the chiefest is taken from the righteous judgment of God.

1. Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus [there is no Apostolic title given in this salutation, which would certainly have been assumed by a forger] unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2. Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. We are bound [morally obliged] to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

4. So that we ourselves [spontaneously, on our own account (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 .)] glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

5. Which is a manifest token [in apposition with what precedes. Their faith and patience was the token] of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you:

7. And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels [Gr. "the Angels of his power"],

8. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9. Who ["inasmuch as they"] shall be punished with everlasting destruction [shall suffer as punishment eternal destruction] from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

10. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints [all them that believe], and to be admired [the word is used in the archaic sense of being "wondered at"; not as the feeling of joyful appreciation with which we contemplate beautiful objects] in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day [the day referred to in "when he shall come" at the beginning of the verse].

11. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would [vouchsafe] count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power ["that our God may count you worthy of the calling, and fulfil all good pleasure of Divine goodness, and faith's work in power."]

12. That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Note. The annotations are taken from The Speaker's Commentary. (London: John Murray.)