1:5 This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, to make you worthy 1 of the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering.
3:1 Finally, pray for us, brothers and sisters, 4 that the Lord’s message 5 may spread quickly and be honored 6 as in fact it was among you,
1 tn Grk “so that you may be made worthy.” The passive infinitive καταξιωθῆναι (kataxiwqhnai) has been translated as an active construction in English for stylistic reasons.
2 tn Or “marveled at.”
3 tn Grk “because our testimony to you was believed.”
4 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:3.
5 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 1:8, 4:15). 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 Lord’s message” because of the focus upon the spread of the gospel evident in the passage.
6 tn Grk “may run and be glorified.”