1 Thessalonians 3:12

1 Thessalonians 3:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
• New International Version (NIV)May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,
• New Living Translation (NLT)And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 3:12

10night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? 11Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 word by word

ὑμᾶς δὲ ὁ κύριος πλεονάσαι καὶ περισσεύσαι τῇ ἀγάπῃ εἰς ἀλλήλους καὶ εἰς πάντας καθάπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• the Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• makeπλεονάζωpleonazō · to increaseG4121
• youσύsu · youG4771
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• aboundπερισσεύωperisseuō · to exceedG4052
• in loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
• oneἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• towardεἰςeis · towardG1519
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• asκαθάπερkathaper · just asG2509
• weἐγώegō · I/weG1473

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 3:12

• 1 Thessalonians 4:10and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;
• Psalms 115:4Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands.
• Luke 17:5And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
• 2 Corinthians 9:10Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
• James 1:17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
• 2 Peter 3:18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
• Philippians 1:9And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
• 2 Thessalonians 1:3We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,
• 1 Thessalonians 5:15See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
• Matthew 7:12Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
• Matthew 22:39And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
• Romans 13:8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
• 1 Corinthians 13:1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
• Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
• 2 Peter 1:7to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 3:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Make you to increase and abound in love - They had already love to each other, so as to unite them in one Christian body; and he prays that they may have an increase and an abundance of it; that they might feel the same love to each other which he felt for them all.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love - compare notes, 2 Corinthians 9:8. The word “Lord” here probably refers to the Lord Jesus, as this is the name by which he is commonly designated in the New Testament; see the notes on Acts 1:24. If this be so, then this is a petition to the Lord Jesus as the fountain of all grace and goodness.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-13Verses 11-13 Prayer is religious worship, and all religious worship is due unto God only. Prayer is to be offered to God as our Father. Prayer is not only to be offered in the name of Christ, but offered up to Christ himself, as our Lord and our Saviour. Let us acknowledge God in all our ways, and he will direct our paths. Mutual love is required of all Christians. And love is of God, and is fulfilling the gospel as well as the law. We need the Spirit's…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12This church was known for their love for each other as members of God's family (4:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:3–4). Paul prays that their love will increase and reach those outside the Christian community even when they suffer persecution (see 1 Thessalonians 5:15; Galatians 6:10; 2 Timothy 2:24; Titus 3:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. The "you" in the Greek is emphatically put first; "But" (so the Greek for "and") what concerns "YOU," whether we come or not, "may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love," &c. The Greek for "increase" has a more positive force; that for "abound" a more comparative force, "make you full (supplying 'that which is lacking,' 1Th 3:10) and even abound." "The Lord" may here be the Holy Spirit; so the Three Persons of the Trinity will be appealed…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 3:12

• Commandments
• Grace of God
• Intercession
• Love
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Increase
• Live
• Sanctification
• Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul to the
• blameless

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