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2 Thessalonians 1:4

in 2 Thessalonians 1

That is why we boast among God’s churches about your perseverance and faith in the face of all the persecution and affliction you are enduring.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure;

KJV

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

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This verse in 2 Thessalonians 1

Commentary

12 notes on this verse

A commentator

Tertullian

Scorpiace · Written before 220.

But how Paul, an apostle, from being a persecutor, who first of all shed the blood of the church, though afterwards he exchanged the sword for the pen, and turned the dagger into a plough, being first a ravening wolf of Benjamin, then himself supplying food as did Jacob, -how he, (I say, ) speaks in favour of martyrdoms, now to be chosen by himself also, when, rejoicing over the Thessalonians, he says, "So that we glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations, in which ye endure a manifestation of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be accounted worthy of His kingdom, for which ye also suffer!

This site's exposition

your faith is growing more and more

on 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Paul says the thanks are owed, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing. This is the growth he prayed for in the first letter.

This site's exposition

perseverance and faith

Acts 17:5 to 9 and 1 Thessalonians 2:14 show Jews and the city's own people stirring up trouble against the church. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that the Greek says they are still enduring it. Paul holds the young church up to other churches as proof of what grace does.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on 2 Thessalonians 2 · Written before 407.

proposed

"So that we ourselves glory in you in the Churches of God." Indeed in the first Epistle he says, that all the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia resounded, having heard of their faith. "So that we need not," he says, "to speak anything. For they themselves report concerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you." But here he says, "so that we glory." What then is it that is said? There he says that they need not instruction from him, but here he has not said that we teach them, but "we glory," and are proud of you. If therefore we both give thanks to God for you, and glory among men, much more ought you to do so for your own good deeds. For if your good actions are worthy of boasting from others, how are they worthy of lamentation from you? It is impossible to say. "So that we ourselves," he says, "glory in you in the Churches of God, for your patience and faith." Here he shows that much time had elapsed. For patience is shown by much time, not in two or three days. And he does not merely say patience. It is the part of patience indeed properly not yet to enjoy the promised blessings. But here he speaks of a greater patience. And of what sort is that? That which is shown in persecutions. "For your patience," he says, "and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure." For they were living with enemies who were continually endeavoring on every side to injure them, and they were manifesting a patience firm and immovable. Let all those blush who for the sake of the patronage of men pass over to other doctrines. For whilst it was yet the beginning of the preaching, poor men who lived by their daily earnings took upon themselves enmities from rulers and the first men of the state, when there was nowhere king or governor who was a believer; and submitted to irreconcilable war, and not even so were unsettled.

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Thietland of Einsiedeln

Commentary (church-history corpus) · Written in the 10th century.

proposed

As if they should say, "You have thus far made progress in faith and patience, so that not only the children in the Church but we also, apostolic men, may take pride in the same faith and patience."

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on 2 Thessalonians · Written before 1274.

proposed

And then he sets out their progress, when he says, "so that we ourselves also glory in you in the churches of God," because what is yours I consider mine. For the good of the disciples is the glory of the prelate. "A wise son …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 2 Thessalonians · Written before 1107.

proposed

In the first epistle the apostle said: everyone knows you so well that there is no need for us to speak about you. How then does he now say that he boasts about them "in the churches"! This is clear from the expression itself. He …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

So that we ourselves glory in you,....
4 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The path of the just is as the shining light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day. And where there is the increase of grace God must have all the glory of it. We are as much indebted to him for the improvement of grace, and the progress of that good work, as we are for the first work of grace and the very beginning of it.

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

We ourselves glory in you in the Churches of God - We hold you up as an example of what the grace of God, can produce when communicated to honest and faithful hearts. For your patience and faith - From Act 17:5, Act 17:13, and from 1Th 2:14, we learn, that the people of Thessalonica had suffered much persecution, both from the Jews and their own countrymen; but being thoroughly convinced of the truth of the Gospel, and feeling it to be the power of God unto salvation, no persecution could turn them aside from it.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

2Th 1:5, 7 state the object of their hope, namely, the kingdom for which they suffer. tribulations--literally, "pressures." The Jews were the instigators of the populace and of the magistrates against Christians (Ac 17:6, 8). which ye endure--Greek, "are (now) enduring."
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God - That is, we mention your example to other churches, and glory in it, as an evidence of what the gospel is suited to do; see the notes on 1Th 2:19-20; compare the notes on 2Co 9:2. For your patience - Your patient endurance of trials. And faith - Fidelity, or constancy. You have shown unwavering confidence in God in your afflictions. In all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure - See the notes on 1Th 2:14; 1Th 4:13. It would seem from this that the persecutions and trials to which the apostle referred in his First Epistle were still continued.

The words behind it

27 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.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

James 1:3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.15 works1 Corinthians 13:7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.12 worksRomans 12:12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.9 worksHebrews 10:36You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.8 worksJames 5:7–8Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.8 worksHebrews 12:1–3Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.7 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Revelation 7:14“Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.7 works2 Corinthians 12:10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.6 works2 Corinthians 4:17For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.6 works1 Thessalonians 2:14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,6 works2 Corinthians 7:14Indeed, I was not embarrassed by anything I had boasted to him about you. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus has proved to be true as well.5 works1 Timothy 6:20O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”5 works1 Thessalonians 2:19After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?4 works1 Thessalonians 1:3and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.4 works1 Thessalonians 1:8For not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say anything more.4 works1 Corinthians 7:17Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.3 worksRevelation 14:12Here is a call for the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.3 worksRomans 5:3–5Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;3 works

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

    Hebrews 10:36

    You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 12:1

      Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set…

    • Psalms 37:7

      Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.

    • James 5:7–11

      Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.

    • 1 Corinthians 13:7

      It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

    • Luke 21:19

      By your patient endurance you will gain your souls.

  • Through

    1 Thessalonians 2:14

    For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,

    it leads to

    • 1 Thessalonians 3:4

      Indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer persecution; and as you know, it has come to pass.

    • Hebrews 10:33–34

      Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated.

    • Hebrews 5:7–8

      During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His…

Where this verse is studied

About 2 Thessalonians

Apostle Paul, Jan Lievens, 1627, Nationalmuseum. Public domain.
Apostle Paul, Jan Lievens, 1627, Nationalmuseum. Public domain.
2 Thessalonians: the study guide →Read 2 Thessalonians 1 →
This page draws on 12 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); J. B. Lightfoot, Notes on the Epistles of St Paul; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Thessalonians 2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Scorpiace; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Thessalonians; Thietland of Einsiedeln, Commentary (church-history corpus) and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Thessalonians.

Read on in 2 Thessalonians 1 →