II Thessalonians 1:4
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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.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
glory in you--make our boast of you, literally, "in your case." "Ourselves" implies that not merely did they hear others speaking of the Thessalonians' faith, but they, the missionaries themselves, boasted of it. Compare Th1 1:8, wherein the apostle said, their faith was so well known in various places, that he and his fellow missionaries had no need to speak of it; but here he says, so abounding is their love, combined with faith and patience, that he and his fellow missionaries themselves, make it a matter of glorying in the various churches elsewhere (he was now at Corinth in Achaia, and boasted there of the faith of the Macedonian churches, Co2 10:15-17; Co2 8:1, at the same time giving the glory to the Lord), not only looking forward to glorying thereat at Christ's coming (Th1 2:19), but doing so even now. patience--in Th1 1:3, "patience of hope." Here hope is tacitly implied as the ground of their patience; Th2 1:5, Th2 1:7 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 (Act 17:6, Act 17:8). which ye endure--Greek, "are (now) enduring."
Open source ↗After the introduction (Th2 1:1, Th2 1:2) the apostle begins this epistle with an account of his high esteem for these Thessalonians (Th2 1:3, Th2 1:4). He then comforts them under their afflictions and persecutions (Th2 1:5-10) and tells them what his prayers were to God for them (Th2 1:11, Th2 1:12).
Open source ↗1:4 Paul’s boasting to other churches about the Thessalonians’ endurance and faithfulness would stimulate the church’s resolve to endure and remain faithful in the face of great hostility (1 Thes 2:14; 3:3-4).
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
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,
Indeed, 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.
and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
After 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?
Here is a call for the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Regardless, 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.
Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed of having been so confident.
and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting to the Macedonians that since last year you in Achaia were prepared to give. And your zeal has stirred most of them to do likewise.