1 Thessalonians 2:16

1 Thessalonians 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
• New International Version (NIV)in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
• English Standard Version (ESV)by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!
• New King James Version (NKJV)forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:16

14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews, 15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men, hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them. 17Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense. 18For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.

1 Thessalonians 2:16 word by word

κωλυόντων ἡμᾶς τοῖς ἔθνεσιν λαλῆσαι ἵνα σωθῶσιν, εἰς τὸ ἀναπληρῶσαι αὐτῶν τὰς ἁμαρτίας πάντοτε· ἔφθασεν δὲ ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἡ ὀργὴ εἰς τέλος.¶Read the interlinear

• hinderingκωλύωkōluō · to preventG2967
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• from tellingλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• howἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• they may be savedσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• As a resultεἰςeis · towardG1519
• they continueπάντοτεpantote · alwaysG3842
• to heap upἀναπληρόωanaplēroō · to fulfilG378
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• sins to full capacityἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• utmostτέλοςtelos · goal/taxG5056
• wrathὀργήorgē · wrathG3709
• has comeφθάνωphthanō · to precede/arriveG5348
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 2:16

• Acts 11:2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him
• Acts 13:50The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.
• Acts 14:5But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them,
• Acts 17:5The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.
• Acts 18:12While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat.
• Acts 19:9But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
• Acts 21:27When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,
• Acts 22:21Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
• Galatians 5:11Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
• Ephesians 3:8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
• Isaiah 45:22Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
• Mark 16:16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
• Acts 4:12Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
• Romans 10:13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
• 2 Thessalonians 2:10and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
• 1 Timothy 2:4who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles - see Acts 17:5, Acts 17:13. No particular instance is mentioned in the life of Paul previous to this, when they had formally commanded him not to preach to the pagan, but no one can doubt that this was one of the leading points of difference between him and them. Paul maintained that the Jews and Gentiles were now on a level with regard to salvation; that the wall of partition was broken down; that the Jew had no…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-16Verses 13-16 We should receive the word of God with affections suitable to its holiness, wisdom, truth, and goodness. The words of men are frail and perishing, like themselves, and sometimes false, foolish, and fickle; but God's word is holy, wise, just, and faithful. Let us receive and regard it accordingly. The word wrought in them, to make them examples to others in faith and good works, and in patience under sufferings, and in trials for the sake of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16The mission to the Gentiles was one of the most important issues in the early church (Acts 11:18; 13:46–49; 28:28; Romans 1:16). Judgment comes when sins increase to full capacity (Genesis 15:16; Daniel 8:23; compare Matthew 23:31–36).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Forbidding--Greek, "Hindering us from speaking," &c. to fill up their sins alway--Tending thus "to the filling up (the full measure of, Ge 15:16; Da 8:23; Mt 23:32) their sins at all times," that is, now as at all former times. Their hindrance of the Gospel preaching to the Gentiles was the last measure added to their continually accumulating iniquity, which made them fully ripe for vengeance. for--Greek, "but." "But," they shall proceed no further…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 2:16

• Bigotry
• Gentiles

In the dictionaries

• Affectionately
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• Chargeable
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• Paul, the Apostle
• Retribution
• Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul to the
• Thessalonians, the Second Epistle of Paul to the

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings