OET interlinear 2 TH 1:1

1:1a

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy: Paul was the author of the letter, but he added the names of Silvanus and Timothy because they had been with him when he went to Thessalonica and were also greeting the Thessalonians.

Silvanus: Like Paul himself, Silvanus had two names: Silvanus and Silas. Silvanus was probably the Latin form of the Hebrew name Silas. At the beginning of 1 and 2 Thessalonians and 1 Peter, the Latin form “Silvanus” is used in the original Greek text (see RSV). However, Luke used “Silas” when he wrote about him in Acts. The important thing, when you are translating these passages, is to make sure that your readers know that Silvanus and Silas were the same person. Many modern English versions do this by only using the name “Silas” in the text (as NIV and GNT have done) and having a footnote to say that the Greek text has “Silvanus.” Another possibility would be to use Silvanus in your translation and use a footnote to explain that he was the same person as Silas of Acts.

1:1b

To the church of the Thessalonians: There is no verb in the Greek text of this verse. It may be more natural in your language to include a verb such as “write,” for example,

I, Paul, along with Timothy and Silas write to the church of the Thessalonians…

the church of the Thessalonians: The Greek word ekklēsia, which is often translated as church in English, never refers to a building but to a group of Christians who met together to worship God. See the note on 1 Thessalonians 1:1b. Also see the word “church", sense 2 in KBT and in the glossary.

1:1c

in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: This is identical to the corresponding phrase in 1 Thessalonians 1:1c, except that Paul here said “our Father” rather than “the Father.”

in: The word in, where it relates to a person (for example, “in God…”), is one of the most difficult words to translate accurately and naturally, because its meaning depends on the context. Here it means “those who have a special relationship with God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here are some other ways to translate this:

those who are united with God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (GW)

those who belong to God and the Lord Jesus Christ (GNT, NLT, REB)

our Father: As noted above, the one difference between this phrase and 1 Thessalonians 1:1c is that Paul says our here rather than “the.” If you needed to translate 1 Thessalonians 1:1c as “our Father,” these two verses will be identical in your translation. However, if you were able to translate “the Father” literally in 1 Thessalonians 1:1c, then you will need to allow for the difference here.

the Lord: This is translated from the Greek word kurios, which means “master,” “chief” or “leader.” It is a title that indicates respect and has a positive meaning. The Greek word kurios nearly always refers to Christ in the New Testament, though sometimes it refers to God or a human being. In some languages it is not possible to say “the Lord” without saying whose Lord is being referred to. It may always be necessary to say “our Lord” or “my Lord.” If this is the case in your language, you should use the possessive pronoun “our (incl).”

Jesus Christ: In this letter, as in most letters in the New Testament, Christ is not used as a title. Rather, it had become a proper name. It is often coupled with Jesus: Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus. You should transliterate these words, Jesus Christ, in this letter, as do almost all English translations. See “Christ", sense 1b in KBT for further advice.