Discovery Box1 Thessalonians 1:5 
Context1:5 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 Thessalonians 1:8
Context1:8 For from you the message of the Lord 4 has echoed forth not just in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place reports of your faith in God have spread, 5 so that we do not need to say anything.
1 Thessalonians 2:2
Context2:2 But although we suffered earlier and were mistreated in Philippi, 6 as you know, we had the courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God 7 in spite of much opposition.
1 Thessalonians 2:8
Context2:8 with such affection for you 8 we were happy 9 to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
1 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Context2:16 because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins, 10 but wrath 11 has come upon them completely. 12
2:17 But when we were separated from you, brothers and sisters, 13 for a short time (in presence, not in affection) 14 we became all the more fervent in our great desire 15 to see you in person. 16
1 Thessalonians 4:10
Context4:10 And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters 17 in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 18
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 “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.
5 tn Grk “your faith in God has gone out.”
6 map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
7 tn The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ (to euangelion tou qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. This same phrase occurs in vv. 8 and 9 as well.
8 tn Grk “longing for you in this way.”
9 tn Or “we are happy.” This verb may be past or present tense, but the context favors the past.
10 tn Grk “to fill up their sins always.”
11 tc The Western text (D F G latt) adds τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) to ὀργή (orgh) to read “the wrath of God,” in emulation of the normal Pauline idiom (cf., e.g., Rom 1:18; Eph 5:6; Col 3:6) and, most likely, to clarify which wrath is in view (since ὀργή is articular).
tn Or “the wrath,” possibly referring back to the mention of wrath in 1:10.
12 tn Or “at last.”
13 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:4.
14 tn Grk “in face, not in heart.”
15 tn Grk “with great desire.”
16 tn Grk “to see your face.”
17 tn Grk “brothers”; this applies to the second occurrence as well. See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:4.
18 sn To do so more and more. See 1 Thess 4:1.
