1 Thessalonians 1:5-8

1:5 in that 1  our gospel did not come to you merely in words, 2  but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction (surely you recall the character we displayed when we came among you to help you). 3 

1:6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received 4  the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction. 1:7 As a result you became an example 5  to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 1:8 For from you the message of the Lord 6  has echoed forth not just in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place reports of your faith in God have spread, 7  so that we do not need to say anything.

1 tn Or “because.”

2 tn Or “speech,” or “an act of speaking.”

3 tn Grk “just as you know what sort of people we were among you for your sakes.” Verse 5 reflects on the experience of Paul and his fellow preachers; v. 6 begins to describe the Thessalonians’ response.

4 tn Or “after you received.”

5 tc Most mss (א A C D2 F G Ψ 0278 Ï) have the plural τύπους (tupou", “examples”) here, while a few important witnesses have the singular τύπον (tupon, “example”; B D*,c 6 33 81 104 1739 1881 pc lat). With ὑμᾶς (Jumas, “you”) immediately preceding, the plural form looks motivated: Scribes would be expected to change the singular to the plural here. Although the external evidence for the singular reading is not overwhelming, the internal evidence for it is compelling.

6 tn Or “the word of the Lord.”

sn “The word of the Lord” is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said. Here the phrase has been translated “the message of the Lord” because of the focus upon the spread of the gospel evident in the passage.

7 tn Grk “your faith in God has gone out.”