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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of you and that our work had been useless.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 3:5

3so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 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. 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. 7Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

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 3:1So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.
• 1 Thessalonians 3:2We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
• Acts 15:36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”
• 2 Corinthians 7:5For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within.
• Matthew 4:3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
• 1 Corinthians 7:5Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
• 2 Corinthians 2:11in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
• 2 Corinthians 11:2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
• Galatians 1:6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
• Ephesians 4:14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
• James 1:13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results.
• Isaiah 49:4But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”
• Galatians 2:2I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain.
• Galatians 4:11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
• Philippians 2:16as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

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