1 Thessalonians 3:4

1 Thessalonians 3:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
• New International Version (NIV)In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 3:4

2and so we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in [spreading] the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you [exhorting, comforting, and establishing you] in regard to your faith, 3so that no one would be unsettled by these difficulties [to which I have referred]. For you know that we have been destined for this [as something unavoidable in our position]. For even when we were with you, we warned you plainly in advance that we were going to experience persecution; and so, as you know, it has come to pass. 5For this reason, when I could no longer endure the suspense, I sent someone to find out about your faith [how you were holding up under pressure], for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our work [among you] would prove to be ineffective. 6But now that Timothy has come back to us from [his visit with] you, and has brought us good news of your [steadfast] faith and [the warmth of your] love, and [reported] that you always think kindly of us and treasure your memories of us, longing to see us just as we long to see you,

1 Thessalonians 3:4 word by word

καὶ γὰρ ὅτε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἦμεν, προελέγομεν ὑμῖν ὅτι μέλλομεν θλίβεσθαι καθὼς καὶ ἐγένετο καὶ οἴδατε·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• verilyκαίkai · andG2532
• whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• we wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• withπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• youσύsu · youG4771
• we toldπρολέγωprolegō · to foretellG4302
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• we shouldμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
• suffer tribulationθλίβωthlibō · to press onG2346
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• it came to passγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• ye knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 3:4

• John 16:1“I have told you these things so that you will not stumble or be caught off guard and fall away.
• Acts 20:24But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].
• 1 Thessalonians 2:2but after we had already suffered and been outrageously treated in Philippi, as you know, yet in [the strength of] our God we summoned the courage to proclaim boldly to you the good news of God [regarding salvation] amid great opposition.
• Acts 17:1Now after Paul and Silas had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
• 2 Corinthians 8:1Now, brothers and sisters, we want to tell you about the grace of God which has been evident in the churches of Macedonia [awakening in them a longing to contribute];
• 2 Thessalonians 1:4Therefore, we speak of you with pride among the churches of God for your steadfastness [your unflinching endurance, and patience] and your firm faith in the midst of all the persecution and [crushing] distress which you endure.

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 3:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4That we should suffer tribulation - I prepared you for it, because I knew that it was according to their nature for wicked men to persecute the followers of God.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For verily, when we were with you, we told you before … - It is not mentioned in the history Acts 17:5-8.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-5After preaching in Berea, Paul left Macedonia and sailed to Athens. He instructed Silas and Timothy to join him soon (Acts 17:13–15). Timothy returned to Thessalonica because Paul had become more concerned about the Thessalonian church (1 Thessalonians 3:2; 3:1, 5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. that we should suffer--Greek, "that we are about (we are sure) to suffer" according to the appointment of God (1Th 3:3). even as--"even (exactly) as it both came to pass and ye know"; ye know both that it came to pass, and that we foretold it (compare Joh 13:19). The correspondence of the event to the prediction powerfully confirms faith: "Forewarned, forearmed" [Edmunds]. The repetition of "ye know," so frequently, is designed as an argument, that…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 3:4

• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Increase
• Live
• Bible, the
• Foretell; Foretold
• Suffering
• Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul to the
• Thessalonica
• Tribulation
• Thessalonians, First Epistle to the
• tempt, temptation

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings