1 Thessalonians 3:1

Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Wherefore	Διὸ Dio	G1352	through which thing · conjunction
could	στέγοντες stegontes	G4722	to roof over · verb — present active participle, nominative plural masculine
longer	μηκέτι mēketi	G3371	no further · adverb — negative
forbear	στέγω stégō	G4722	to roof over
good	εὐδοκήσαμεν eudokēsamen	G2106	to think well of · verb — aorist active indicative, 1st person plural
left	καταλειφθῆναι kataleiphthēnai	G2641	to leave down · verb — aorist passive infinitive
at	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
Athens	Ἀθήναις Athēnais	G116	Athenæ · noun — dative plural feminine, a place
alone	μόνοι monoi	G3441	remaining · adjective — nominative plural masculine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Acts 17:15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed…
1 Thessalonians 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour b…
1 Thessalonians 2:17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with gre…
Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my…
2 Corinthians 2:13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
Jeremiah 44:22 So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefor…
2 Corinthians 11:29-30 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

In these words the apostle gives an account of his sending Timothy to the Thessalonians. Though he was hindered from going to them himself, yet his love was such that he could not forbear sending Timothy to them. Though Timothy was very useful to him, and he could not well spare him, yet Paul was content, for their good, to be left alone at Athens. Note, Those ministers do not duly value the establishment and welfare of their people who cannot deny themselves in many things for that end. Observe, I. The character he gives of Timothy (Th1 3:2): We sent Timotheus, our brother. Elsewhere he calls him his son; here he calls him brother. Timothy was Paul's junior in age, his inferior in gifts and…

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Adam Clarke on 1 Thessalonians 3:1

Wherefore, when we could no longer, etc. - The apostle was anxious to hear of their state, and as he could obtain no information without sending a messenger express, he therefore sent Timothy from Athens; choosing rather to be left alone, than to continue any longer in uncertainty relative to their state.

John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 3:1

Wherefore when we could no longer forbear,.... Or "bear", as the word properly signifies; or "bear that", as the Ethiopic version reads; that is, "that desire", as the Arabic version renders it; that ardent and longing desire of seeing them again, expressed in the latter part of the preceding chapter; which was as fire in their bones, and was retained with great pain and uneasiness; but now they could hold it no longer, and like Jeremiah, Jeremiah 20:9 were weary with forbearing, and could not stay; or it was like a burden, which they stood up under as long as they could, even Paul, Silas, and Timothy, but now it became insupportable: we thought it good to be left at Athens alone: that is,…

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John Calvin on 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 1. Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; 1. Quare non amplius sufferentes censuimus, ut Athenis relinqueremur soli: 2. And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: 2. Et misimus Timotheum fratrem nostrum, et ministrum Dei, et cooperarium nostrum in evangelio Christi, ut confirmaret vos, et vobis animum adderet ex fide nostra, 3. That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 3. Ut nemo turbaretur in his afflictionibus: ipsi enim nostis quod i…

The Church Fathers

"Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone. And sent Timothy, our brother and God's minister and our fellow-worker in the Gospel of Christ." Instead of saying, "we chose." And this he says, not as extolling Timothy, but honoring them, that he sent them the fellow-worker, and minister of the Gospel. As if he had said, Having withdrawn him from his labors we have sent to you the minister of God, and our fellow-laborer in the Gospel of Christ. "To establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith."
— John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Thessalonians 3

Seest thou how God permits trials, and by them stirs up and awakens the disciples, and makes them more energetic? Then let us not sink down under trials: for He Himself will "also make the way of escape, that we may be able to bear them." Nothing so makes friends, and rivets them so firmly, as affliction: nothing so fastens and compacts the souls of believers: nothing is so seasonable for us teachers in order that the things said by us may be heard. For the hearer when he is in ease is listless and indolent, and seems to suffer annoyance from the speaker: but when he is in affliction and distress, he falls into a great longing for the hearing. For when distressed in his soul, he seeks on all sides to find comfort for his affliction: and the preaching brings no small comfort.
— John Chrysostom, Homily on the Acts of the Apostles 42

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Athens — The capital of Attica, the most celebrated city of the ancient world, the seat of Greek literature and art during the golden period of Grecian history. Its inhabitants were fond of novelty (Acts…
Thessalonians, First Epistle To The — was written by the apostle Paul at Corinth, a few months after he had founded the church at Thessalonica, at the close of the year A.D. 62 or the beginning of 53. The Epistles to the Thessalonians,…
Athens · A city of Greece — A city of Greece

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

Adam Clarke on 1 Thessalonians 3:1

John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 3:1

John Calvin on 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

Adam Clarke on 1 Thessalonians 3:1

John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 3:1

John Calvin on 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5