English Standard Version
1 Thessalonians 1:9
9For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
1 Thessalonians 1:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
- New International Version (NIV)for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
- New King James Version (NKJV)For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
- New Living Translation (NLT)for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 1:9
7so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 11 Thessalonians 1:9 word by word
αὐτοὶ γὰρ περὶ ἡμῶν ἀπαγγέλλουσιν ὁποίαν εἴσοδον ἔσχομεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ πῶς ἐπεστρέψατε πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων δουλεύειν θεῷ ζῶντι καὶ ἀληθινῷRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- theyἀπαγγέλλωapaggellō · to announceG518
- themselvesαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
- usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- what manner ofὁποῖοςhopoios · what sort?G3697
- entering inεἴσοδοςeisodos · entryG1529
- we hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- youσύsu · youG4771
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
- ye turnedἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- idolsεἴδωλονeidōlon · idolG1497
- to serveδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
- the livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
- trueἀληθινόςalēthinos · trueG228
Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 1:9
- 1 Thessalonians 1:5because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:1For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.
- Isaiah 2:17And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
- Jeremiah 16:19O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: "Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit.
- Zephaniah 2:11The Lord will be awesome against them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations.
- Zechariah 8:20"Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities.
- Malachi 1:11For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.
- Acts 14:15"Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
- Acts 26:17delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you
- 1 Corinthians 12:2You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.
- Galatians 4:8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.
- Deuteronomy 5:26For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived?
- 1 Samuel 17:26And David said to the men who stood by him, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"
- Psalms 42:2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
- Psalms 84:2My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
- Isaiah 37:4It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.'"
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 1:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9How ye turned to God from idols - This could not be spoken either of the Jews or of the devout persons, but of the heathen Greeks, and of such it appears that the majority of the Church was formed. See what is said on this subject in the preface to this epistle. To serve the living and true God - The living God; in opposition to the idols, which were either inanimate stocks or stones, or the representations of dead men. The true God - In opposition to the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9For they themselves - They who have visited you, and they whom you have sent out; all persons testify of your piety. The apostle seems to refer to all whom he had met or had heard of “in all places,” who said anything about the Thessalonians They were unanimous in bearing testimony to their fidelity and piety. Show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you - The testimony which they bear of you is, in fact, testimony of the manner in which we…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-10Verses 6-10 When careless, ignorant, and immoral persons are turned from their carnal pursuits and connexions, to believe in and obey the Lord Jesus, to live soberly, righteously, and godly, the matter speaks for itself. The believers under the Old Testament waited for the coming of the Messiah, and believers now wait for his second coming. He is yet to come. And God had raised him from the dead, which is a full assurance unto all men that he will come to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Among the Gentiles (non-Jewish people), the apostles called people to turn away from false gods and worship the living and true God, who created all things (Acts 14:11–18; 17:22–31; 19:23–41). In a society where many religions existed side by side, it was unusual to ask people to abandon the gods worshiped by their families and communities (see Jeremiah 10:8–10; 1 Corinthians 8:4–6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Strictly there should follow, "For they themselves show of you," &c.; but, instead, he substitutes that which was the instrumental cause of the Thessalonians' conversion and faith, "for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you"; compare 1Th 1:5, which corresponds to this former clause, as 1Th 1:6 corresponds to the latter clause. "And how ye turned from idols to serve the living ... God," &c. Instead of our having "to speak…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 1:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 1
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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