1 Thessalonians 3:5

1 Thessalonians 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
• New International Version (NIV)For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 3:5

3so that these troubles don’t disturb any of you. You know that we’re destined to suffer persecution. 4In fact, when we were with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to suffer persecution. And as you know, that’s what happened. But when I couldn’t wait any longer, I sent ⌞Timothy⌟ to find out about your faith. I wanted to see whether the tempter had in some way tempted you, making our work meaningless. 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. 7So brothers and sisters, your faith has encouraged us in all our distress and trouble.

1 Thessalonians 3:5 word by word

διὰ τοῦτο κἀγὼ μηκέτι στέγων ἔπεμψα εἰς τὸ γνῶναι τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν, μή πως ἐπείρασεν ὑμᾶς ὁ πειράζων καὶ εἰς κενὸν γένηται ὁ κόπος ἡμῶν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• when Iκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
• couldστέγωstegō · to endureG4722
• no longerμηκέτιmēketi · never againG3371
• I sentπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• lest by some meansμήπωςmēpōs mē pōs · so thatG3381
• the tempterπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: temptG3985
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• labourκόποςkopos · laborG2873
• beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• vainκενόςkenos · emptyG2756

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 3:5

• 1 Thessalonians 3:1We thought it best to remain in Athens by ourselves. But, because we couldn’t wait any longer ⌞for news about you⌟,
• 1 Thessalonians 3:2we sent our brother Timothy to you. He serves God by spreading the Good News about Christ. His mission was to strengthen and encourage you in your faith
• Acts 15:36After a while Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back to every city where we spread the Lord’s word. We’ll visit the believers to see how they’re doing.”
• 2 Corinthians 7:5Ever since we arrived in the province of Macedonia, we’ve had no rest. Instead, we suffer in a number of ways. Outwardly we have conflicts, and inwardly we have fears.
• Matthew 4:3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
• 1 Corinthians 7:5Don’t withhold yourselves from each other unless you agree to do so for a set time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then you should get back together so that Satan doesn’t use your lack of self-control to tempt you.
• 2 Corinthians 2:11I don’t want Satan to outwit us. After all, we are not ignorant about Satan’s scheming.
• 2 Corinthians 11:2I’m as protective of you as God is. After all, you’re a virgin whom I promised in marriage to one man—Christ.
• Galatians 1:6I’m surprised that you’re so quickly deserting Christ, who called you in his kindness, to follow a different kind of good news.
• Ephesians 4:14Then we will no longer be little children, tossed and carried about by all kinds of teachings that change like the wind. We will no longer be influenced by people who use cunning and clever strategies to lead us astray.
• James 1:13When someone is tempted, he shouldn’t say that God is tempting him. God can’t be tempted by evil, and God doesn’t tempt anyone.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1You know, brothers and sisters, that our time with you was not wasted.
• Isaiah 49:4But I said, “I have worked hard for nothing. I have used my strength, but I didn’t accomplish anything. Yet, certainly my case is in the Lord’s hands, and my reward is with my God.”
• Galatians 2:2I went in response to a revelation ⌞from God⌟. I showed them the way I spread the Good News among people who are not Jewish. I did this in a private meeting with those recognized as important people to see whether all my efforts had been wasted.
• Galatians 4:11I’m afraid for you. Maybe the hard work I spent on you has been wasted.
• Philippians 2:16as you hold firmly to the word of life. Then I can brag on the day of Christ that my effort was not wasted and that my work produced results.

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5For this cause - Knowing that you would be persecuted, and knowing that your apostasy was possible, I sent to know your faith - whether you continued steadfast in the truth, lest you might have been tempted by Satan to consult your present ease, and abandon the Gospel, for which you suffered persecution.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5For this cause - Since I knew that you were so liable to be persecuted, and since I feared that some might be turned from the truth by this opposition. When I could no longer forbear - See the notes at 1 Thessalonians 3:1. I sent to know your faith - That is, your fidelity. or your steadfastness in the gospel. Lest by some means - Either by allurements to apostasy, set before you by your former pagan friends; or by the arts of false teachers; or by the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Paul had concern that Satan, the tempter, had weakened the Thessalonians’ faith (Mark 1:13; 1 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:2, 6, 8). He was checking to make sure his efforts among them were not useless (Galatians 2:2; Philippians 2:16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. For this cause--Because I know of your "tribulation" having actually begun (1Th 3:4). when I--Greek, "when I also (as well as Timothy, who, Paul delicately implies, was equally anxious respecting them, compare "we," 1Th 3:1), could no longer contain myself (endure the suspense)." I sent--Paul was the actual sender; hence the "I" here: Paul, Silas, and Timothy himself had agreed on the mission already, before Paul went to Athens: hence the "we," (see on…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 3:5

• Love
• Satan
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Increase
• Live
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Forbear
• Satan
• Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul to the
• Thessalonica
• Timothy
• 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