1 Thessalonians · 20 verses
1 Thessalonians 2
Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.
The chapter
What happens here
Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.
A missionary party arrives as both nursing mother and father, then finds its road back barred by Satan—without a word about what the obstruction actually was.
A visit made of gospel and lifevv. 1–12
The visit to Thessalonica was no empty errand. After suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi, the missionaries spoke boldly, without deceit, flattery, greed, or demands for praise. Their manner then takes a lovely turn: first tender as a nursing mother, then encouraging and urging as a father, while working night and day to avoid becoming a burden.
The word at work, and the road obstructedvv. 13–20
The Thessalonians received the message as God's word, and it was now at work in them. They had become imitators of the churches in Judea, sharing their suffering, while Paul speaks fiercely of those who hinder the gospel. Then the distance becomes personal: the missionaries are torn away in person but not in heart, and Paul's repeated attempts to return are obstructed by Satan. The chapter ends with an exuberant question whose answer is already blazing: the Thessalonians themselves are the hope, joy, crown, glory, and joy of the missionaries.
The text
Read it
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.
1 Thess 2:1You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.
1 Thess 2:2As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.
1 Thess 2:3For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.
1 Thess 2:4Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.
1 Thess 2:5As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!
1 Thess 2:6Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.
1 Thess 2:7On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.
1 Thess 2:8We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.
1 Thess 2:9Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
1 Thess 2:10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.
1 Thess 2:11For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—
1 Thess 2:12encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
1 Thess 2:13And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.
1 Thess 2:14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,
1 Thess 2:15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,
1 Thess 2:16hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.
1 Thess 2:17Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense.
1 Thess 2:18For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.
1 Thess 2:19After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
1 Thess 2:20You are indeed our glory and our joy.
01 — Also here
Who else the chapter reaches
Names written in the English are linked in the text above. These are the ones that are not: an entity the Hebrew or Greek names under a spelling the translation does not use, or one reached only by an assertion about a verse of this chapter.
Named in the Hebrew or Greek somewhere in this chapter, under a form the English renders differently — the registry's Ludim against the translation's Ludites — so there is no word in the sentence to hang the link on.
Reached by an assertion Atlas extracted from a verse of this chapter rather than by a name written in it — a pronoun, a title, or a participant the sentence carries without naming. This layer is model-read and measured at 88.6–90.3% precision, and it is kept separate from the names above for that reason.
02 — Read alongside
Where this is echoed
Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 471 passages were voted onto 20 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.
- 13Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- 13Romans 10:17Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
- 131 Peter 1:23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- 4Galatians 1:10Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- 131 Peter 1:25but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
- 18Romans 15:22That is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
- 19Philippians 4:1Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you must stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
- 4Romans 8:27And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
- 92 Thessalonians 3:7–9For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,
- 13Acts 13:48When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
- 4Galatians 2:7On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
- 7Isaiah 66:13As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you, and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”
- 92 Corinthians 11:9And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.
- 121 John 2:6Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.
- 12Ephesians 4:1As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
- 15Matthew 5:12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
Onward