1 Thessalonians 1:4 kjv
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
1 Thessalonians 1:4 nkjv
knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.
1 Thessalonians 1:4 niv
For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,
1 Thessalonians 1:4 esv
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,
1 Thessalonians 1:4 nlt
We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.
1 Thessalonians 1 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:1-3 | "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country...to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation...and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'" | God's sovereign choice initiating His plan for a people. |
| Deut 7:6-8 | "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples...it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath..." | God chooses a people out of love, not merit. |
| Psa 33:12 | "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!" | God's people are His chosen heritage. |
| John 6:37 | "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." | God's sovereign giving brings people to Christ. |
| John 13:18 | "I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen..." | Jesus affirms His choosing of disciples. |
| John 15:16 | "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit..." | Divine initiative in choosing for service and fruitfulness. |
| Acts 13:48 | "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed." | God's pre-appointment precedes belief. |
| Rom 8:29-30 | "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined...and those whom he predestined he also called...justified...glorified." | The golden chain of salvation, starting with foreknowledge and predestination. |
| Rom 9:11-13 | "...before they had done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call..." | Election is based on God's sovereign call, not human deeds. |
| Rom 11:5-6 | "So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace...it is no longer on the basis of works..." | God's remnant chosen purely by grace. |
| Eph 1:4-5 | "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless...In love he predestined us for adoption as sons..." | Election is pre-creation, purposeful (holiness), and rooted in love. |
| Eph 2:4-5 | "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ..." | God's love and mercy are the basis for quickening sinners. |
| Phil 1:6 | "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." | Assurance of God's continuing work, implied by election. |
| Col 3:12 | "Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility..." | Election calls for holy and compassionate living. |
| 2 Thes 2:13 | "But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation..." | Reiteration of election from the beginning for salvation, through sanctification. |
| 2 Tim 1:9 | "who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began..." | Salvation and calling are by God's purpose and grace before time began. |
| 2 Tim 2:19 | "But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are his,'..." | God's secure knowledge of His chosen ones. |
| Tit 1:1 | "...for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth..." | The purpose of apostolic ministry includes confirming God's elect. |
| Heb 12:22-23 | "...to the church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven..." | Believers are the divinely "firstborn" inscribed in God's heavenly register. |
| 1 Pet 1:1-2 | "...to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion...according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit..." | Believers' identity as elect, founded in divine foreknowledge. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession..." | Election for a purpose: to proclaim God's excellencies. |
| 1 John 4:10 | "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." | God's initiating and demonstrating love as the source of salvation. |
1 Thessalonians 1 verses
1 Thessalonians 1 4 Meaning
1 Thessalonians 1:4 expresses the profound certainty held by Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy regarding the Thessalonian believers' salvation. They confidently affirm that the Thessalonians are deeply loved by God and have been specifically chosen or elected by Him. This divine love and election are the ultimate theological foundation for the evident faith, labor of love, and steadfast hope that Paul observed in their lives, and the powerful reception of the Gospel among them.
1 Thessalonians 1 4 Context
1 Thessalonians 1:4 is central to Paul's introductory thanksgiving (1:2-3) and serves as the theological bedrock for his commendation of the Thessalonian church. Following expressions of continual gratitude for their exemplary faith, love, and hope, this verse articulates why Paul and his companions have such profound confidence in their spiritual standing: because God has sovereignly chosen them. This truth is further evidenced and validated by their powerful reception of the Gospel message—"not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (v. 5), which manifested in their joyous endurance of suffering.
The historical context is critical: this letter was written shortly after Paul's ministry in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9) where the church had quickly formed amidst significant opposition from unbelieving Jews. The believers, primarily Gentiles, immediately faced persecution, causing Paul to depart. Against this backdrop of hostility and external pressure, the affirmation of "beloved by God" and "chosen by Him" was profoundly reassuring. It confirmed that their nascent faith was not a fleeting human decision but an enduring divine work, providing a secure identity and an anchor for perseverance amidst their trials. This declaration of election implicitly contrasted with the pagan fatalism prevalent in the Roman world or with any notion of earning divine favor, underscoring God's personal, gracious, and unmerited initiative.
1 Thessalonians 1 4 Word analysis
- For (γάρ - gar): A particle serving as an explanatory conjunction. It introduces the reason or basis for the preceding statement (Paul's continual thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' virtues in vv. 2-3). It signifies: "And the reason we know is..."
- we (ἡμεῖς - hēmeis): Refers to Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, the senders of the letter. Their shared, unified conviction lends authority and weight to the statement.
- know (οἴδαμεν - oidamen): From oida, meaning to have a perfect, settled, experiential, and certain knowledge, as distinct from knowledge gained by intellectual inquiry. It indicates an intuitive spiritual insight, a deep spiritual awareness based on irrefutable evidence. This isn't mere speculation but a firm conviction.
- brothers and sisters (ἀδελφοί - adelphoi): A common address in Pauline letters, emphasizing the spiritual familial bond and communal solidarity within the Christian body. It conveys affection and shared identity.
- beloved by God (ἠγαπημένοι ὑπὸ Θεοῦ - ēgapēmenoi hypo Theou): A perfect passive participle of agapaō ("to love"), signifying a state of having been loved and remaining loved. It stresses that God initiated this love, which is both profound and continuous. Hypo Theou ("by God") clearly indicates the divine agent as the source of this love. This emphasizes that God's love for them is foundational, unconditional, and independent of their merit.
- that he has chosen you (τὴν ἐκλογὴν ὑμῶν - tēn eklogēn hymōn, literally "your election"): The Greek noun eklogē denotes "a choice, selection, election." It signifies God's sovereign and gracious act of selecting specific individuals for salvation and a relationship with Him. The nuance in translation, from the direct noun "your election" to the verb phrase "that He has chosen you," clarifies the active, deliberate nature of God's choice. This choice is rooted in God's sovereign will and precedes human response, yet it is demonstrably confirmed by the genuine faith and transformative power evident in the believers' lives. It speaks of divine initiative and purpose in their salvation.
Words-group analysis:
- "For we know, brothers and sisters, beloved by God": This powerful opening declaration establishes the unwavering confidence Paul and his co-workers possess concerning the Thessalonian believers. Their "knowledge" is not theoretical but arises from observing the powerful work of the Holy Spirit and the genuine fruit of faith in the Thessalonians. Being "beloved by God" conveys an extraordinary status; it means they are objects of God's special, enduring, and unfailing love, indicating His initiating grace. This profound love is the ultimate spring from which their salvation flows.
- "that he has chosen you": This phrase directly speaks to the doctrine of divine election. It communicates that their inclusion in the body of Christ and their ultimate salvation are not accidental, but the result of God's purposeful and gracious choice. This choice occurred "before the foundation of the world" (Eph 1:4) and serves as a secure foundation for their faith and endurance. For a new church facing persecution, this assurance was immensely fortifying, cementing their identity and security in God's eternal plan, not merely in their own human decisions.
1 Thessalonians 1 4 Bonus section
The divine eklogē (election) mentioned in this verse is not a passive decree but an active, effective, and loving choice by God. It inherently provides an unwavering assurance that transcends temporal struggles. This certainty for Paul stems from what he saw in the Thessalonian believers: not merely a verbal assent to the gospel, but a radical life change, evidenced by enduring faith and love, even in suffering (1 Thess 1:3, 6-7). This implies a pastoral perspective on election where the outward signs of salvation become indicators of an inner, divine reality. The theological weight of this verse profoundly bolstered a nascent church facing fierce opposition, affirming that their identity and future were not accidental or conditional on their human strength, but founded securely in God's eternal, unchangeable purpose and love.
1 Thessalonians 1 4 Commentary
1 Thessalonians 1:4 succinctly captures the divine basis for Paul's confident thanksgiving for the Thessalonian church. His "knowledge" of their "election" is not abstract speculation but is concretely evidenced by the transformation of their lives – their "work of faith," "labor of love," and "steadfastness of hope" (v. 3), coupled with the undeniable "power and Holy Spirit and full conviction" with which the gospel took root among them (v. 5).
The phrase "beloved by God" grounds election in God's active, self-giving nature, demonstrating that His love initiates the entire redemptive process. Their salvation springs from this unmerited, divine affection, not from their worthiness. "That he has chosen you" (their election) emphasizes God's sovereign, purposeful initiative in calling them out of darkness into His light. This divine selection means their standing before God is utterly secure, established by His eternal counsel rather than fluctuating human effort or external circumstances. For believers then and now, this truth provides profound comfort and stability, particularly amidst trials or doubt. It assures that God is personally invested in their salvation and will faithfully bring to completion the work He has begun in them. It also clarifies that genuine Christian living – visible faith, love, and hope – serves as validating evidence of this divine choosing.