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1 Thessalonians 2:10

in 1 Thessalonians 2

You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and unblamably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe:

KJV

Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

This verse in 1 Thessalonians 2

Commentary

10 notes on this verse
Ye are witnesses, and God also,.... Not so much to what goes before as to what follows after, relating to their holy walk and conversation among them, the more open part of which they were witness of; and for the more secret part God is appealed to, who is acquainted with the springs of actions, as well as with actions themselves: how holily, and justly, and unblamably we behaved ourselves among you that believe.

This site's exposition

our labor and toil

on 1 Thessalonians 2:9-10

The pair our labor and toil names work and its weariness, spelled out as tentmaking beside preaching night and day. The aim was that the church would carry no charge for the gospel of God it received.

This site's exposition

You are witnesses, and so is God

Two witnesses are called because each sees a different part. The church saw the conduct, and God saw the motives behind it, as Jamieson, Fausset and Brown and Matthew Henry read the pair. Among you who believed may mean in the eyes of believers, who judged the missionaries most closely.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on 1 Thessalonians 3 · Written before 407.

proposed

On this account he frequently addresses them as witnesses. For "ye are witnesses," he says, "and God also"; God was worthy to be believed, but this other was that which most fully assured them. For that indeed was uncertain to those who were ignorant of it; but this was without doubt to all. For do not enquire whether it was Paul who said these things. Much beyond what was necessary he gives them assurance. Wherefore he says, "Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and unblamably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe." It was proper to praise them again. On this account he sets these things before them, which were sufficient to persuade them. For he that stood there in want, and did not receive anything, would much more not receive anything now. "How holily," says he, "and righteously and unblamably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe."

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on 1 Thessalonians · Written before 1274.

proposed

Then when Paul says: you are witnesses, he remarks on the orthodoxy of his discourse. First, he speaks about the sanctifying influence it may have on a person's life; secondly, he shows how full of concern his teaching was (2:11). So Paul remarks: you are …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 1 Thessalonians · Written before 1107.

proposed

God is a trustworthy witness, but since people do not know whether God testifies to this, he also calls as witnesses those to whom the word is addressed. Fulfilling all that is required, for this is the meaning of "holy," in place of the expression: …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

): You are witnesses, and God also. They were observers of their outward conversation in public before men, and God was witness not only of their behaviour in secret, but of the inward principles from which they acted.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily - i.e., in reference to God; how justly in reference to men; and unblamably in reference to our spirit and conduct, as ministers of Christ, we behaved ourselves among you. What a consciousness of his own integrity must St. Paul have had to use the expressions that are here! No hypocrite, and none who did the work of the Lord carelessly, could make such an appeal both to God and man.
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Ye are witnesses--as to our outward conduct. God--as to our inner motives. holily--towards God. justly--towards men. unblamably--in relation to ourselves. behaved ourselves--Greek, "were made to be," namely, by God. among you that believe--rather, "before (that is, in the eyes of) you that believe"; whatever we may have seemed in the eyes of the unbelieving.
Ye are witnesses - They had a full opportunity of knowing his manner of life. And God also - See the notes on ver 5. How holily - Piously - observing all the duties of religion. And justly - In our contact with people. I did them no wrong. And unblameably - This seems to refer to his duties both to God and man. In reference to all those duties no one could bring a charge against him. Every duty was faithfully performed. This is not a claim to absolute perfection, but it is a claim to consistency of character, and to faithfulness in duty, which every Christian should be enabled to make. Every man professing religion should so live as to be able to appeal to all who have had an opportunity of knowing him, as witnesses that he was consistent and faithful, and that there was nothing which could be laid to his charge.

The words behind it

15 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Timothy 3:10

    You, however, have observed my teaching, my conduct, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my perseverance,

    it leads to

    • 1 Timothy 6:11

      But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

  • Through

    1 Thessalonians 1:5

    because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with great conviction—just as you know we lived among you for your sake.

    it leads to

    • 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9

      For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,

    • Mark 16:20

      And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it.

  • Through

    2 Corinthians 1:12

    And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom,…

    it leads to

    • 1 Corinthians 2:13

      And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

    • 2 Corinthians 2:17

      For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.

  • Through

    1 Peter 5:3

    not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

    it leads to

    • Philippians 3:17

      Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.

    • 2 Thessalonians 3:9

      Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate.

    • Ezekiel 34:4

      You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.

About 1 Thessalonians

St Paul Preaching at Athens, Raphael, about 1515 to 1516, Royal Collection. Public domain.
St Paul Preaching at Athens, Raphael, about 1515 to 1516, Royal Collection. Public domain.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Thessalonians 3; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians.