1 Thessalonians 2:17

1 Thessalonians 2:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
• New International Version (NIV)But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face,
• New King James Version (NKJV)But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:17

15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and who have persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God. They are enemies of the whole human race 16because they try to keep us from telling people who are not Jewish how they can be saved. The result is that those Jews always commit as many sins as possible. So at last they are receiving ⌞God’s⌟ anger. Brothers and sisters, we have been separated from you for a little while. Although we may not be able to see you, you’re always in our thoughts. We have made every possible effort to fulfill our desire to see you. 18We wanted to visit you. I, Paul, wanted to visit you twice already, but Satan made that impossible. 19Who is our hope, joy, or prize that we can brag about in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Isn’t it you?

1 Thessalonians 2:17 word by word

Ἡμεῖς δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἀπορφανισθέντες ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν πρὸς καιρὸν ὥρας προσώπῳ οὐ καρδίᾳ, περισσοτέρως ἐσπουδάσαμεν τὸ πρόσωπον ὑμῶν ἰδεῖν ἐν πολλῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• being takenἀπορφανίζωaporphanizō · to orphanG642
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• youσύsu · youG4771
• forπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• a shortὥραhōra · hourG5610
• timeκαιρόςkairos · time/right timeG2540
• in presenceπρόσωπονprosōpon · faceG4383
• notοὐou · noG3756
• in heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• endeavouredσπουδάζωspoudazō · be eagerG4704
• the more abundantlyπερισσῶςperissōs · excessivelyG4057
• to seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• faceὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• greatπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• desireἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 2:17

• 2 Kings 5:26Then Elisha said to him, “I went with you in spirit when the man turned around in his chariot to speak to you. How could you accept silver, clothes, olive orchards, vineyards, sheep, cattle, or slaves?
• Acts 17:10Immediately when night came, the believers sent Paul and Silas to the city of Berea. When Paul and Silas arrived in the city of Berea, they entered the synagogue.
• 1 Corinthians 5:3Although I’m not physically present with you, I am with you in spirit. I have already judged the man who did this as though I were present with you.
• Colossians 2:5Although I’m absent from you physically, I’m with you in spirit. I’m happy to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
• 1 Thessalonians 3:6But Timothy has just now come back to us from you and has told us the good news about your faith and love. He also told us that you always have fond memories of us and want to see us, as we want to see you.
• Genesis 31:30Now you have left for your father’s home because you were so homesick. But why did you steal my gods?”
• Genesis 45:28“You have convinced me!” Israel said. “My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
• Genesis 48:11Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see you again, and now God has even let me see your sons.”
• 2 Samuel 13:39King David began to long for Absalom once people had consoled him over Amnon’s death.
• Psalms 63:1O God, you are my God. At dawn I search for you. My soul thirsts for you. My body longs for you in a dry, parched land where there is no water.
• Luke 22:15Jesus said to them, “I’ve had a deep desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
• Romans 1:13I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I often planned to visit you. However, until now I have been kept from doing so. What I want is to enjoy some of the results of working among you as I have also enjoyed the results of working among the rest of the nations.
• Romans 15:23But now I have no new opportunities for work in this region. For many years I have wanted to visit you.
• Philippians 1:22If I continue to live in this life, my work will produce more results. I don’t know which I would prefer.

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Being taken from you for a short time - Through the persecution raised by the Jews, see Acts 17, he was obliged to leave Thessalonica, and yield to a storm that it would have been useless for him to have withstood. Being taken from you - in presence, not in heart - The apostle had compared himself to a parent or nurse, 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:11; and the people he considered as his most beloved children; here he represents himself as…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17But we, brethren, being taken from you - There is more implied in the Greek word here rendered, “being taken from you “ - ̓́ aporphanisthentes- than appears from our translation. It properly has relation to the condition of an orphan (compare notes on John 14:18), or one who is bereaved of parents, or one who is bereaved of parentsThen it is used in a more general sense, denoting to be bereaved of; and in this place it does not mean merely that he was…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-20Verses 17-20 This world is not a place where we are to be always, or long together. In heaven holy souls shall meet, and never part more. And though the apostle could not come to them yet, and thought he might never be able to come, yet our Lord Jesus Christ will come; nothing shall hinder that. May God give faithful ministers to all who serve him with their spirit in the gospel of his Son, and send them to all who are in darknessRead the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17torn away: Paul talks about his unexpected departure from Thessalonica as depriving the new Christians of their spiritual parents (see Acts 17:10). However, this absence was not neglect. Paul's attempts to return to the church show the separation was not on purpose (compare Philippians 1:7; Colossians 2:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. But we--resumed from 1Th 2:13; in contrast to the Jews, 1Th 2:15, 16. taken--rather as Greek, "severed (violently, Ac 17:7-10) from you," as parents bereft of their children. So "I will not leave you comfortless," Greek, "orphanized" (Joh 14:18). for a short time--literally, "for the space of an hour." "When we had been severed from you but a very short time (perhaps alluding to the suddenness of his unexpected departure), we the more abundantly (the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 2:17

• Love

In the dictionaries

• Affectionately
• Bold
• Chargeable
• Cherish
• Desire
• Joy
• Corinth
• Endeavor
• Paul, the Apostle
• Thessalonians, the First 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