1 Thessalonians 1:9

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,
• English Standard Version (ESV)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,
• 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,

Context of 1 Thessalonians 1:9

7so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place the news of your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us as to the kind of reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come.

1 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

• For they themselvesαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• reportἀπαγγέλλωapaggellō · to announceG518
• aboutπερίperi · aboutG4012
• as to the kindὁποῖοςhopoios · what sort?G3697
• receptionεἴσοδοςeisodos · entryG1529
• we hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• with you, and howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• turnedἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
• to Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• idolsεἴδωλονeidōlon · idolG1497
• to serveδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
• a livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• and trueἀληθινόςalēthinos · trueG228

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 1:9

• 1 Thessalonians 1:5for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sakes.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our reception among you was not in vain,
• Isaiah 2:17And the pride of humanity will be humbled And the arrogance of people will be brought low; And the Lord alone will be exalted on that day,
• Jeremiah 16:19Lord, my strength and my stronghold, And my refuge in the day of distress, To You the nations will come From the ends of the earth and say, “Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood, Futility, and things of no benefit.”
• Zephaniah 2:11The Lord will be terrifying to them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.
• Zechariah 8:20“The Lord of armies says this: ‘It will yet turn out that peoples will come, that is, the inhabitants of many cities.
• Malachi 1:11For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name shall be great among the nations, and in every place frankincense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name shall be great among the nations,” says the Lord of armies.
• Acts 14:15and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men, of the same nature as you, preaching the gospel to you, to turn from these useless things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them.
• Acts 26:17rescuing you from the Jewish 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 the mute idols, however you were led.
• Galatians 4:8However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are not gods.
• Deuteronomy 5:26For who is there of humanity who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
• 1 Samuel 17:26Then David said to the men who were standing by him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and rids Israel of the disgrace? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he has dared to 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 longed and even yearned for the courtyards of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
• Isaiah 37:4Perhaps the Lord your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to taunt the living God, and will avenge the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore, offer a 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

• God Continued...
• Obedience
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• God
• Sound
• Thessalonica
• Conversion
• Millennium, Premillennial View
• Repentance
• Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul to the
• Thessalonians, the Second Epistle of Paul to the
• heaven, sky, heavens, heavenly
• wrath, fury

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