Paul, with Silvanus, also called Silas, and Timothy, 1:1. Almost no scholar doubts that Paul wrote it.
WRITTEN FROM
Corinth, right after Timothy came back with news, 3:6 and Acts 18:5.
DATE WRITTEN
About AD 50 to 51. Many say it is the oldest book in the New Testament. Others give that title to Galatians or James.
WRITTEN TO
The young church in Thessalonica, the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia in northern Greece.
WHY HE WROTE
Paul had to leave town in a hurry. He wanted to encourage a church under fire, answer charges against him, and comfort them about believers who had died.
KEY VERSE
1 Thessalonians 4:16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.
An Early Copy of 1 Thessalonians
These are pieces of Papyrus 30, a page from a book of Paul's letters copied in Egypt in the 200s AD. It was found at Oxyrhynchus and is now at Ghent University Library in Belgium. This side holds bits of 1 Thessalonians 4:12 to 13, 4:16 to 17 and 5:12 to 14, and the start of 2 Thessalonians. Papyrus 46, from about AD 200, also holds parts of 1 Thessalonians, and Papyrus 65 is another scrap from the 200s.
THE HOPE ON PAPYRUS. Some of these scraps hold 4:16 to 17, the Lord coming down and believers caught up to meet Him. Christians in Egypt were reading that promise about 1,800 years ago.
The Setting
Thessalonica was founded about 316 BC and named after Thessalonike, a half sister of Alexander the Great. By Paul's day it was the capital of Macedonia, a busy port on the Via Egnatia, the great Roman highway. About AD 49 or 50, Paul and Silas came straight from being beaten and jailed in Philippi. For three Sabbaths Paul taught in the synagogue, and Jews, Greeks and leading women believed. Then a mob dragged Jason and other believers before the city officials, shouting that these men had turned the world upside down, Acts 17:1 to 9. Paul slipped out by night. A few months later he wrote this letter.
What Thessalonica Was Up Against
Persecution. Their own neighbors turned on them, 2:14 and 3:3 to 4.
Rumors About Paul. Some said Paul was a con man who ran off, 2:3 to 6 and 2:17 to 18.
Sexual Sin. Pagan culture saw nothing wrong with it, 4:3 to 8.
Not Working. Some had stopped working and were leaning on others, 4:11 to 12 and 5:14.
Grief And Questions. Believers had died, and the church was afraid they would miss the Lord's return, 4:13.
Where to Find Jesus
1 Thessalonians 1:10. Waiting for His Son from heaven, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.
1 Thessalonians 4:15 to 17. The Lord Himself will descend, the dead in Christ will rise, and we will be caught up to meet Him. Still to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:1 to 3. The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Still to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 to 10. He died for us so that, awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.
Cool Stuff Most People Miss
Maybe the Oldest. This may be the first book of the New Testament ever written, about 20 years after Jesus rose.
Every Chapter Ends the Same. Each chapter ends with Jesus coming back: 1:10, 2:19, 3:13, 4:16 to 17 and 5:23.
The Word Rapture. The word is not in English Bibles. It comes from the Latin Bible, where 4:17 says rapiemur, we will be caught up.
The Next Town. After Thessalonica, Paul went to Berea, where people checked his teaching against the Scriptures every day, Acts 17:11. That is 5:21 in action.
Did Anybody Listen?
Yes. Paul soon wrote again, 2 Thessalonians, to clear up confusion about the Day of the Lord. Thessalonica became one of the strongest churches in Greece. Two men from there, Aristarchus and Secundus, traveled with Paul, Acts 20:4, and Aristarchus went all the way to Rome with him, Acts 27:2. Today Thessaloniki is the second biggest city in Greece, full of old churches, and believers still read 4:13 to 18 at funerals.
Chapter 1 in 30 seconds
Paul is bragging on a brand new church. People all over Greece are talking about how the Thessalonians turned from idols to the living God and are now waiting for Jesus to come back from heaven. Not bad for a few weeks of Bible study.
Greetings to the Thessalonians// 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4
1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace to you.
1TH 1:1[FIELD NOTES]See the Thessalonica Field Notes page. For the riot and the politarchs, see Acts 17.
2We always thank God for all of you, remembering you in our prayers 3and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4Brothers who are beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you, 5because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with great conviction—just as you know we lived among you for your sake. 6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord when you welcomed the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit, in spite of your great suffering.
7As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8For not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say anything more. 9For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God10and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.
1TH 1:9[DEMONIC]The Thessalonians turned from idols to serve the living God
1TH 1:9[FIELD NOTES]See The Gods of Thessalonica Field Notes page.
See the whole Bible light up in color.
Nate's Highlighting Guide lists every prophecy, fulfillment, miracle and bloodline name in one place, so you can mark your own Bible with the same 15 colors.
TOM is The Owner's Manual, a free translation built on the Berean Standard Bible. It uses modern measurements, prints Yahweh where the Hebrew has God's name, and puts words missing from the earliest manuscripts in [square brackets]. Every change is listed in How It Was Translated.
What do the colors mean?
Each color marks one kind of verse: lime green for prophecies about the Messiah, teal for miracles, sand for archaeology, and so on. Tap any color in the chapter key to turn it off. Use Customize to choose exactly which ones you see.
Can I read without highlights?
Yes. Turn off the Highlights switch at the top for plain text. Your choice is remembered on this device.
Do the other translations have the colors too?
Yes. The colors, red letters, bloodline names and study notes come from TOM and are matched to every other translation verse by verse, so you can read the KJV, NIV or any other translation here with the same study helps.
Is this free?
Yes. The whole Bible is free to read online. The printed Owner's Manual Study Bible is coming soon.
