1 Thessalonians 2:16
in 1 Thessalonians 2hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
KJV
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
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This verse in 1 Thessalonians 2
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles - see Act 17:5, Act 17:13. No particular instance is mentioned in the life of Paul previous to this, when they had formally commanded him not to preach to the pagan, but no one can doubt that this was one of the leading points of difference between him and them.
This site's exposition
hindering us from telling the Gentiles
The offense named is hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. It was the synagogue opposition that followed Paul from Pisidian Antioch on. To heap up their sins to full capacity echoes the measure of iniquity of Genesis 15:16.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Who both killed the Lord," he says-but, perhaps, they did not know Him,-assuredly they did know Him. What then? Did they not slay and stone their own prophets, whose books even they carry about with them? And they did not do this for the sake of truth. There is therefore not only a consolation under the temptations, but they are reminded not to think that (the Jews) did it for the truth's sake, and be troubled on that account. "And drave out us," he says. And we also, he says, have suffered numberless evils. "And please not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they may be saved." "Contrary to all men," he says. How? Because if we ought to speak to the world, and they forbid us, they are the common enemies of the world. They have slain Christ and the prophets, they insult God, they are the common enemies of the world, they banish us, when coming for their salvation. What wonder if they have done such things also to you, when they have done them even in Judaea? "Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved." It is a mark of envy therefore to hinder the salvation of all. "To fill up their sins alway. But the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost." What is "to the uttermost"? These things are no longer like the former. There is here no return back, no limit. But the wrath is nigh at hand. Whence is this manifest? From that which Christ foretold. For not only is it a consolation to have partakers in our afflictions, but to hear also that our persecutors are to be punished. And if the delay is a grievance, let it be a consolation that they will never lift up their heads again; or rather he hath cut short the delay, by saying, "The wrath," showing that it was long ago due, and predetermined, and predicted.
The Medieval Church2 voices
For if salvation must be preached to the whole world, and they oppose this, then they are common enemies of the world. Only extraordinary envy would hinder the common salvation. This, he says, they did and continue to do to the ancient prophets, then to …
Thirdly, Paul considers their sin in its relation to the whole human race, when he says: and oppose all men. "His hand against every man and every man's hand against him" (Gen. 16:12). And they are antagonistic, because they prohibit and impede the preaching to …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
To fill up - The measure of their sins always, as they have ever done. But the vengeance of God is come upon them - Hath overtaken them unawares, whilst they were seeking to destroy others, and will speedily complete their destruction.
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Forbidding--Greek, "Hindering us from speaking," &c. to fill up their sins alway--Tending thus "to the filling up (the full measure of, Ge 15:16; Mt 23:32) their sins at all times," that is, now as at all former times.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| κωλυόντων | koluonton | they are hindering | G2967 → | |
| ἡμᾶς | hemas | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔθνεσιν | ethnesin | Gentiles | G1484 → | |
| λαλῆσαι | lalesai | to speak | G2980 → | 294 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| σωθῶσιν, | sothosin | they may be saved, | G4982 → | |
| εἰς | eis | so as | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀναπληρῶσαι | anaplerosai | to fill up | G378 → | |
| αὐτῶν | auton | their | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τὰς | tas | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁμαρτίας | hamartias | sins | G266 → | |
| πάντοτε· | pantote | always; | G3842 → | 40 times |
| ἔφθασεν | ephthasen | Has come | G5348 → | |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐπ᾽ | ep᾽ | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὀργὴ | orge | wrath | G3709 → | 36 times |
| εἰς | eis | to the | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τέλος.¶ | telos | utmost. | G5056 → |
κωλυόντωνthey are hindering
koluontonG2967 →
ἡμᾶςus
hemasG3165 →1936 times
τοῖςto the
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἔθνεσινGentiles
ethnesinG1484 →
λαλῆσαιto speak
lalesaiG2980 →294 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
σωθῶσιν,they may be saved,
sothosinG4982 →
εἰςso as
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀναπληρῶσαιto fill up
anaplerosaiG378 →
αὐτῶνtheir
autonG846 →5565 times
τὰς<the>
tasG3588 →19766 times
ἁμαρτίαςsins
hamartiasG266 →
πάντοτε·always;
pantoteG3842 →40 times
ἔφθασενHas come
ephthasenG5348 →
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐπ᾽upon
ep᾽G1909 →883 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ὀργὴwrath
orgeG3709 →36 times
εἰςto the
eisG1519 →1755 times
τέλος.¶utmost.
telosG5056 →
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
Mark 16:16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
it leads to
- John 11:25–26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
- John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
- Romans 10:9–14
that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
- John 3:18–19
Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
- John 3:15–16
that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
- John 11:25–26
Through
Malachi 4:1“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of…
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 1:8
in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
- 2 Peter 3:7
And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
- Malachi 3:2
But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:8
About 1 Thessalonians
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians.