New King James Version
1 Thessalonians 2:17
17But 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.
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 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 both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. 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. 18Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. 19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 21 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 he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?
- Acts 17:10Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
- 1 Corinthians 5:3For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.
- Colossians 2:5For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:6But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you—
- Genesis 31:30And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
- Genesis 45:28Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
- Genesis 48:11And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”
- 2 Samuel 13:39And King David longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.
- Psalms 63:1O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
- Luke 22:15Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
- Romans 1:13Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.
- Romans 15:23But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you,
- Philippians 1:22But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries