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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated from you for a little while (though our hearts never left you), we tried very hard to come back because of our intense longing to see you again.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:17

15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16in 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. 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. 18For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. 19For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not 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 5:26But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?
• Acts 17:10As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
• 1 Corinthians 5:3For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this.
• Colossians 2:5For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
• 1 Thessalonians 3:6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.
• Genesis 31:30Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?”
• Genesis 45:28And Israel said, “I’m convinced! 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 your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”
• 2 Samuel 13:39And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he was consoled concerning Amnon’s death.
• Psalms 63:1You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
• Luke 22:15And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
• Romans 1:13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
• Romans 15:23But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you,
• Philippians 1:22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

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