UTN uW Translation Notes:

1 Thessalonians 2 General Notes

Structure and Formatting

3. The visit with the Thessalonians (2:1–16) * How Paul and his fellow workers behaved (2:1–12) * How the Thessalonians responded (2:13–164. Separation from the Thessalonians (2:17–20)

Special Concepts in this Chapter

Paul’s previous visit with the Thessalonians

Before he wrote this letter, Paul had briefly visited the city of Thessalonica and preached the gospel. He may have been in this city for only three weeks (see Acts 17:2), but many people still believed in Jesus during this time. They started the church of the Thessalonians, to whom Paul wrote this letter. However, Paul had to leave the city quickly because some Jewish people started a riot and tried to seize Paul and his fellow workers. You can read about this story in Acts 17:1–10. In this chapter, Paul describes how he and his fellow workers acted when he visited them, and he describes how the believers responded (see 2:1–13). He also refers to how some Jewish people persecuted him and his fellow workers (see 2:15–16). Finally, he describes how he wants to visit them again after he and his fellow workers had to leave so soon (see 2:17–20).

God and the Thessalonians as “witnesses”

In 2:5 and 2:10, Paul names God as a “witness” to what he is saying, and he also names the Thessalonians as “witnesses” in 2:10. Witnesses testify about whether something is true, so Paul names God and the Thessalonians as witnesses to show the Thessalonians that what he is saying is true. Your language may have a specific form for appealing to someone to guarantee that a statement is true.

“The Jews”

In 2:14–16, Paul refers to people whom he calls “the Jews.” He does not mean Jewish people in general, since he refers to “the churches of God that are in Judea” as a separate group, and most if not all of these people were Jewish. Paul himself clarifies that he means “the ones having killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and having persecuted us.” This does not describe one group of people only, since many of the people who killed God’s “prophets” died before Jesus came. What it does describe is a type of person: a person who opposes God and his messengers. When Paul refers to “the Jews” in this chapter, then, he is referring to Jewish people who oppose God and his messengers. You may need to make this more explicit in your translation. (See: figs-explicit)

Important Figures of Speech in this Chapter

Figures of speech related to families

In this chapter, Paul describes himself and his fellow workers as “little children” (2:7), “mothers” (2:7), and “fathers” (2:11). He also refers to the Thessalonians as “brothers” (2:1, 9, 14, 17). Paul describes himself and his fellow workers in these ways to show the Thessalonians that he and his fellow workers love and care about them as if they were members of the same family. Paul especially emphasizes this since he was only with the Thessalonians for a short period of time. If possible, preserve the figures of speech that describe the Thessalonians, Paul, and his fellow workers as members of the same family.