Prayers for the Gospel and the Lord's Strength
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
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2Thess.3.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Το: ART,nom,sg,n
- λοιπον: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- προσευχεσθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,ind,2,pl
- αδελφοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- περι: PREP
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- ινα: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- λογος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- κυριου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- τρεχη: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- δοξαζηται: VERB,pres,mid/pass,subj,3,sg
- καθως: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- προς: PREP
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
Parallels
- 1 Thessalonians 5:25 (verbal): Same imperative address: 'Brethren, pray for us'—a direct verbal parallel in Paul's closing requests for prayer.
- Colossians 4:3-4 (thematic): Paul asks for prayer that God would 'open a door of utterance' so the mystery of Christ may be proclaimed—parallel theme of prayer for effective proclamation and the spread of God's word.
- Ephesians 6:19-20 (thematic): Paul requests prayer for boldness and clear speech to make known the gospel—echoes the petition that 'the word of the Lord may run and be glorified.'
- 1 Thessalonians 1:8 (verbal): Speaks of how 'the word of the Lord sounded out from you' and spread rapidly—a verbal and conceptual parallel about the word's swift dissemination and impact.
Alternative generated candidates
- Finally, brothers, pray for us to God that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as it is among you.
- Pray also for us, brothers, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, even as it is among you.
2Thess.3.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ινα: CONJ
- ρυσθωμεν: VERB,aor,pass,subj,1,pl
- απο: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- ατοπων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- πονηρων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- ου: PART,neg
- γαρ: PART
- παντων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- πιστις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (structural): Immediate continuation in the same letter: contrasts human danger with the Lord’s faithfulness to deliver and establish the faithful.
- 2 Timothy 3:13 (verbal): Warns of ‘evil men and seducers’ who grow worse and deceive—language and concern parallel the threat from ‘ἄτοπους καὶ πονηρούς ἀνθρώπους’.
- Romans 3:3 (verbal): Addresses the reality that some do not believe; connects to Paul’s admission here that ‘not all have faith.’
- Luke 18:8 (thematic): Jesus’ question whether he will find faith on earth at his coming resonates with the concern that faith is not universal among people.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:2 (thematic): Paul’s earlier sending of Timothy ‘to establish and comfort you concerning your faith’ reflects the same pastoral concern for protection and firmness of the community’s faith.
Alternative generated candidates
- And that we may be delivered from unrighteous and wicked men; for not all have faith.
- And that he may deliver us from unruly and evil people; for not all have faith.
2Thess.3.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πιστος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κυριος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- στηριξει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- και: CONJ
- φυλαξει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- απο: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- πονηρου: ADJ,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (verbal): Both stress God's faithfulness to accomplish what He has begun—'faithful is he who calls you, who also will do it' echoes the assurance that the Lord will establish you.
- Jude 24 (thematic): Affirms God's power to keep believers from falling or stumbling—parallels the promise that God will guard or preserve you from evil.
- John 17:15 (thematic): Jesus prays to the Father 'not to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one,' directly paralleling the petition for protection from the evil one.
- Psalm 121:7-8 (allusion): Yahweh’s protective guardianship—'he will keep thee from all evil'—provides the Old Testament background for NT language of divine preservation from evil.
- 1 Peter 5:10 (verbal): God 'will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you,' echoing the promise that the Lord will 'establish' or uphold the believers.
Alternative generated candidates
- But the Lord is faithful—he will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
- But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and keep you from the evil one.
2Thess.3.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πεποιθαμεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,pl
- δε: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- κυριω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- εφ᾽υμας: PREP+PRON,acc,pl,m
- οτι: CONJ
- α: PRON,nom,sg,n
- παραγγελλομεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- και: CONJ
- ποιειτε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- ποιησετε: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,pl
Parallels
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1 (thematic): Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to continue living according to apostolic instruction—parallel emphasis on their present and ongoing obedience to commands given by the apostles.
- Romans 15:14 (verbal): Paul expresses confidence in the Roman believers' moral maturity and ability to admonish one another, mirroring 2 Thess 3:4’s confident assurance about the recipients’ conduct.
- 2 Corinthians 7:16 (verbal): Paul states his rejoicing because he has confidence in the Corinthians in all things—similar language of confidence in the churches used in 2 Thess 3:4.
- Philippians 2:12-13 (thematic): Paul urges ongoing obedience ('work out your salvation') while attributing continued ability to God's operation in believers—this complements 2 Thess 3:4’s assurance that they will continue to do what has been commanded.
Alternative generated candidates
- And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command you.
- We were weak among you, but in word we were strong toward you; for you endure many things, and we will also show that we endure.
2Thess.3.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- κυριος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- κατευθυναι: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- καρδιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- αγαπην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- υπομονην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- Χριστου: PROPN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 (verbal): Paul prays for believers' love to increase and for their hearts to be established—close verbal and thematic parallel to directing hearts to God's love and Christ's steadfastness.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (thematic): Links 'work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness (patience) of hope'—pairs love and steadfastness as characteristic virtues, echoing the couplet in 2 Thess 3:5.
- Ephesians 3:16-19 (thematic): Paul's prayer that Christ dwell in believers' hearts and that they know the love of Christ resonates with the petition that the Lord direct hearts to the love of God.
- 1 Peter 2:21-23 (allusion): Christ's patient endurance under suffering (his example of bearing insult without retaliation) exemplifies the 'patience/endurance of Christ' to which 2 Thess 3:5 refers.
Alternative generated candidates
- May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfast endurance of Christ.
- May the Lord, by our love for you and by your faith, direct our hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of the hope we have in Christ.
Finally, brothers, pray for us that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, even as it is among you,
and that we may be rescued from wicked and lawless men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command you.
May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.