2 Thessalonians 3:4
in 2 Thessalonians 3And we have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command.
KJV
And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
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This verse in 2 Thessalonians 3
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAfter the apostle prayed for the Thessalonians and said: God is faithful and will certainly complete the work of salvation begun in you, but lest you think that everything depends only on God and therefore give yourselves over to laziness, he now requires cooperation on …
This site's exposition
But the Lord is faithful
on 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
Against verse 2, where not everyone holds to the faith, stands one pivot: the Lord is faithful. He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one, the phrase the Lord’s prayer uses at Matthew 6:13.
This site's exposition
we have confidence in the Lord
Paul places his confidence about the church in the Lord. John Gill notes that it rests on the Lord's grace and strength at work in them. Theophylact of Ohrid saw here a call for the believers' own effort alongside God's work.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the things which we command you." Neither ought we, having committed everything to the prayers of the Saints, to be idle ourselves, and run into wickedness, and to lay hold of nothing; nor again when working good to despise that succor. For great indeed are the things which prayer for us can effect, but it is when we ourselves also work. For this reason Paul also, praying for them, and again giving them assurance from the promise, says, "But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and guard you from the evil one" For if He has chosen you to salvation, He does not deceive you, nor suffer you utterly to perish. But that should themselves sleep, see how he also demands cooperation from them, saying, "And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you." "The Lord" indeed, he says, "is faithful," and having promised to save will certainly save; but as He promised. And how did He promise? If we be willing, and hear Him; not simply hearing, nor like stocks and stones, being inactive. And he has well introduced the words, "We have confidence in the Lord," that is, we trust to His lovingkindness. Again he brings them down, making everything depend thereupon. For if he had said, We have confidence in you, the commendation indeed was great, but it would not have taught them to make all things dependent upon God. And if he had said, We have confidence in the Lord, that He will preserve you, and had not added "as touching you," and, "that ye do and will do the things which we command you," he would have made them more slothful, by casting everything upon the power of God. […]
But we trust in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things which we command. In order that he may deserve to be entrusted with the entire defense of God, he does not doubt that those things which he commanded …
Confidence in the Lord touching you, brethren, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you."
The Medieval Church1 voice
Second, on their side he says "and we have confidence concerning you," brothers, namely based on the grace you have received, but "in the Lord," not in your own strength. "We have confidence in you, beloved, of things better and nearer to salvation" (Heb 6:9). …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And we have confidence in the Lord touching you,.... The ground of confidence concerning them was not in themselves, in their grace, and strength, and wisdom, and conduct, and good behaviour; but in the Lord, in his grace and strength, and in the power of his might, without whom they could do nothing, but through him strengthening them, could do all things.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And as the experience the apostle had of their obedience for the time past was one ground of his confidence that they would do the things commanded them for the time to come, so this is one ground to hope that whatsoever we ask of God we shall receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight, 1 John iii.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
we have confidence in the Lord--as "faithful" (2Th 3:3). Have confidence in no man when left to himself [BENGEL]. that ye both do--Some of the oldest manuscripts insert a clause, "that ye both have done" before, "and are doing, and will do." He means the majority by "ye," not all of them (compare 2Th 3:11;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
And we have confidence - We have no doubt of God’s kindness towards you; he loves you, and will support you: and we can confide in you, that ye are now acting as we have desired you, and will continue so to do.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And we have confidence in the Lord - Not primarily in you, for you have hearts like others, but in the Lord. It is remarkable that when Paul expresses the utmost confidence in Christians that they will live and act as becomes their profession, his reliance is not on anything in themselves, but wholly on the faithfulness of God. He must be a stranger to the human heart who puts much confidence in it even in its best state; see Php 1:6; Php 4:7; 2Ti 1:12; compare Jud 1:24; Rev 3:10; Pro 28:26.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| πεποίθαμεν | pepoithamen | We have been persuaded | G3982 → | |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| κυρίῳ | kurio | [the] Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | as to | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἃ | ha | [the] things that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| παραγγέλλομεν | parangellomen | we command | G3853 → | 31 times |
| καὶ | kai | both | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ποιεῖτε | poieite | you are doing | G4160 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ποιήσετε. | poiesete | you will do. | G4160 → |
πεποίθαμενWe have been persuaded
pepoithamenG3982 →
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
κυρίῳ[the] Lord
kurioG2962 →711 times
ἐφ᾽as to
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἃ[the] things that
haG3739 →1405 times
παραγγέλλομενwe command
parangellomenG3853 →31 times
καὶboth
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ποιεῖτεyou are doing
poieiteG4160 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ποιήσετε.you will do.
poieseteG4160 →
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
Philippians 1:6being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
- Ephesians 4:12
to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,
- Hebrews 13:20–21
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
- Psalms 138:8
The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me. O LORD, Your loving devotion endures forever— do not abandon the works of Your hands.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24
Through
Philippians 2:12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
- Luke 13:23–24
“Lord,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answered,
- 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Thessalonians
This page draws on 11 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); Ambrosiaster, Commentary on 2 Thessalonians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Thessalonians 5; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pope Anterus, Commentary (church-history corpus); Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Thessalonians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Thessalonians.