1 Thessalonians 2:1
in 1 Thessalonians 2You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain:
KJV
For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
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This verse in 1 Thessalonians 2
Commentary
11 notes on this verseI beg you, in all this recall to your mind what I believe you must never forget: "All who would live godly in Christ suffer persecution." And with regard to this I confidently say that you would live less godly if you suffered less persecution. For let us hear what else the same teacher of the Gentiles says to his disciples. "You yourselves know, brothers, how we came to you; we did not come in vain, for we had already suffered and been shamefully treated."
This site's exposition
our visit to you was not in vain
on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2
The visit opened in suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi, the flogging and jail of Acts 16. Yet the missionaries were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in the face of strong opposition.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain: but having suffered before, and been shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God in much conflict." Great indeed were your actions also, but yet neither did we have recourse to human speech. But what he says above, that also he repeats here, that from both sides is shown what was the nature of the Preaching, from the miracles, and from the resolution of the preachers, and from the zeal and fervor of those who received it. "For yourselves," he says, "know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain," that is, that it was not according to man, nor of any common kind. For being fresh from great dangers, and deaths, and stripes, we immediately fell into dangers. "But," he says, "having suffered before, and been shamefully entreated; as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God." Do you see how again he refers the whole to God? "To speak unto you," says he, "the Gospel of God in much conflict." It is not possible to say, that there indeed we were in danger, but here we are not; yourselves also know, how great was the danger, with how much contention we were among you. Which also he says in his Epistle to the Corinthians; "And I was with you in weakness," and in labor, "and in fear, and in much trembling." (1 Cor. ii. 3)
The Medieval Church3 voices
Before, Paul commended the Thessalonians for having received God's word amid tribulations; now he praises them because they did not fall away as a result of difficulties; in mentioning this he does three things. First, he recalls their troubles; secondly, Paul points out the kind …
Great, says the apostle, are your struggles; but we also did not employ a merely human word, and our entrance was not without effect, that is, without dangers and trials, and in general without hardships. For, as has been said many times, dangers strengthen faith; …
thus it was gentle and of good nature, yet it was very sincere.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
What was proposed, chap. i, 5, 6, is now more largely treated of: concerning Paul and his fellowlabourers, ver. 1-12; concerning the Thessalonians, ver. 13-16.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-13-anchored-1-1
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you - notes, 1Th 1:9. Paul appeals to themselves for proof that they had not come among them as impostors. They had had a full opportunity to see them, and to know what influenced them. Paul frequently appeals to his own life, and to what they, among whom he labored, knew of it, as a full refutation of the slanderous accusations of his enemies; compare notes, 1Co 4:10-16; 1Co 9:19-27; 2Co 6:3-
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The Greek for "was," expresses rather "hath been and is," implying the permanent and continuing character of his preaching.
Our entrance in unto you - His first coming to preach the Gospel was particularly owned of the Lord, many of them having been converted under his ministry. This consideration gave him a right to deliver all the following exhortations.
The words behind it
14 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Αὐτοὶ | autoi | You yourselves | G846 → | 5565 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| οἴδατε, | oidate | know, | ||
| ἀδελφοί, | adelphoi | brothers, | G80 → | 343 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἴσοδον | eisodon | coming | G1529 → | |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| κενὴ | kene | in vain | G2756 → | |
| γέγονεν· | gegonen | has been; | G1096 → | 667 times |
ΑὐτοὶYou yourselves
autoiG846 →5565 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
οἴδατε,know,
oidate
ἀδελφοί,brothers,
adelphoiG80 →343 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
εἴσοδονcoming
eisodonG1529 →
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
κενὴin vain
keneG2756 →
γέγονεν·has been;
gegonenG1096 →667 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
1 Thessalonians 2:13And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the…
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
- 1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- 1 Peter 1:25
but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
- 1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
- Hebrews 4:12
Through
2 Thessalonians 3:1Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread quickly and be held in honor, just as it was with you.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:25
Brothers, pray for us as well.
- Colossians 4:3
as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
- 1 Corinthians 16:9
because a great door for effective work has opened to me, even though many oppose me.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:25
About 1 Thessalonians
This page draws on 12 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); Gregory the Dialogist, Register of Epistles, Book 7, Epistle 30; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Thessalonians 2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Nicholas of Lyra, Commentary (church-history corpus); Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians.