Discovery Box1 Thessalonians 1:2-5 
Context1:2 We thank God always for all of you as we mention you constantly 1 in our prayers, 1:3 because we recall 2 in the presence of our God and Father 3 your work of faith and labor of love and endurance of hope 4 in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1:4 We know, 5 brothers and sisters 6 loved by God, that he has chosen you, 7 1:5 in that 8 our gospel did not come to you merely in words, 9 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). 10
1 tn Or “mention you in our prayers, because we recall constantly…”
2 tn Grk “making mention…recalling.” The participle ποιούμενοι (poioumenoi) in v. 2 has been translated as temporal, and μνημονεύοντες (mnhmoneuonte") in v. 3 has been translated as causal.
3 tn Or the phrase may connect at the end of the verse: “hope…in the presence of our God and Father.”
4 tn These phrases denote Christian virtues in action: the work produced by faith, labor motivated by love, and endurance that stems from hope in Christ.
5 tn Grk “knowing.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle εἰδότες (eidotes) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence started here in the translation.
6 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
7 tn Grk “your election.”
8 tn Or “because.”
9 tn Or “speech,” or “an act of speaking.”
10 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.
