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.
• 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 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.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:17

15Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: 16Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. 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. 18Therefore we would have come to you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us. 19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

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

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• weἡμεῖςhēmeis · weG2249
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• takenἀπορφανίζωaporphanizō · to orphanG642
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• youὑμῶνhumōn · of youG5216
• forπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• shortὥραhōra · hourG5610
• timeκαιρόςkairos · time/right timeG2540
• presenceπρόσωπονprosōpon · faceG4383
• notοὐou · noG3756
• heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• endeavouredσπουδάζωspoudazō · be eagerG4704
• abundantlyπερισσοτέρωςperissoterōs · more excessivelyG4056
• seeεἴδωeidō · to perceive: seeG1492
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• greatπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• desireἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 2:17

• 2 Kings 5:26And he said to him, Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and male and female servants?
• Acts 17:10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea: who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews.
• 1 Corinthians 5:3For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
• Colossians 2:5For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
• 1 Thessalonians 3:6But now when Timothy came from you to us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:
• Genesis 31:30And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou didst earnestly long after thy father’s house, yet why hast thou stolen my gods?
• Genesis 45:28And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.
• Genesis 48:11And Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shown me also thy seed.
• 2 Samuel 13:39And the soul of king David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
• Psalms 63:1O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
• Luke 22:15And he said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
• Romans 1:13Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I have often purposed to come to you, (but was hindered until now,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
• Romans 15:23But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you;
• Philippians 1:22But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I know not.

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