1 Thessalonians 2 16

1 Thessalonians 2:16 kjv

Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

1 Thessalonians 2:16 nkjv

forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

1 Thessalonians 2:16 niv

in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

1 Thessalonians 2:16 esv

by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved ? so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!

1 Thessalonians 2:16 nlt

as they try to keep us from preaching the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles. By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins. But the anger of God has caught up with them at last.

1 Thessalonians 2 verses

1 Thessalonians 2 16 Meaning

This verse highlights the intense opposition Paul and his companions faced from certain Jewish individuals who actively hindered their mission to preach the Gospel to Gentiles, thereby preventing them from hearing and accepting the path to salvation. This continuous act of resistance is seen as fulfilling the "measure" or "fullness" of their accumulated sins, reaching a tipping point where God's righteous wrath, His decisive and just judgment, has definitively come upon them.

1 Thessalonians 2 16 Context

This verse is found within Paul's first letter to the Thessalonian believers, written around AD 50-51, during or shortly after his visit to Thessalonica. In chapter 2, Paul defends the integrity of his ministry, recounting how he and his co-workers, Silvanus and Timothy, served the Thessalonians with selfless motives and tender care. In verses 14-16, Paul commends the Thessalonians for enduring suffering for their faith, just as the Judean churches had suffered at the hands of their fellow countrymen. He then clarifies the nature of these Jewish persecutors: they killed Jesus and the prophets, drove out Paul, displeased God, and were hostile to all men by forbidding the apostles to preach salvation to the Gentiles. Verse 16 culminates this portrayal, declaring the consequence of such persistent rejection and opposition—divine wrath has come upon them. This strong declaration sets the backdrop for understanding the profound struggle and the theological conviction of God's righteous judgment against those actively hindering His redemptive purposes.

1 Thessalonians 2 16 Word analysis

• Forbidding: From the Greek kōlyō (κωλύω), meaning to hinder, prevent, or restrain. It implies an active and deliberate effort to obstruct Paul's ministry.
• Us to speak to the Gentiles: Refers to Paul and his missionary team's divinely ordained mission to preach the Gospel to non-Jewish peoples (Acts 9:15, Gal 2:7-9). This highlights the fundamental nature of the conflict—resistance to God's universal redemptive plan.
• That they might be saved: Articulates the crucial purpose of the apostles' preaching: the salvation of the Gentiles. The obstruction was therefore not merely against Paul, but against God's saving grace.
• To fill up their sins: From the Greek anaplēroō (ἀναπληρόω), meaning to fill up, complete, or fulfill. This phrase does not imply God causes their sin but signifies that their persistent acts of disobedience and opposition to His will have accumulated to a point of climax. It echoes Old Testament themes where a nation's iniquity reaches a full measure before judgment (Gen 15:16).
• Always: From the Greek pantote (πάντοτε), emphasizing the continuous, consistent, and pervasive nature of their hostility throughout history, not an isolated instance. Their current opposition to the Gospel mission is consistent with a long-standing pattern.
• Wrath: From the Greek orgē (ὀργή), signifying divine indignation and righteous judgment. It is not an emotional outburst but God's settled, just, and holy response to unrighteousness and rejection of His purposes.
• Is come: From the Greek phthanō (φθάνω), meaning to arrive, reach, or anticipate. It presents the wrath as either already having arrived, or being so imminent and decisive as to be considered an accomplished fact. This indicates a definitive and impending judgment rather than a vague future threat.
• Upon them: Refers specifically to the Jewish individuals described in verses 14-15 who engaged in persecution and hindrance of the Gospel. It is not a condemnation of all Jewish people across history, but of specific opponents whose actions brought them under divine judgment.
• To the uttermost: From the Greek eis telos (εἰς τέλος), meaning "to the end," "at last," "completely," or "utterly." This denotes the finality, decisiveness, and comprehensive nature of the wrath. Many scholars interpret this phrase as referring to the impending destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in AD 70, a significant historical fulfillment of divine judgment upon those who persistently rejected the Messiah and opposed the spread of His message.

Word-groups Analysis

• "Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved": This highlights the profound theological significance of their opposition: it was a direct assault on God's redemptive plan to include Gentiles in salvation through faith in Christ. Their hindrance of evangelism was perceived as spiritual murder.
• "To fill up their sins always": This phrase explains the divine logic behind the impending wrath. Their continuous pattern of rebellion, rejection of God's messengers, persecution, and now, the obstruction of Gentile salvation, brought their collective iniquity to a maximum threshold, leaving them ripe for judgment.
• "Wrath is come upon them to the uttermost": This powerful declaration states the inevitable divine consequence. The divine wrath is portrayed as a present or already definitive reality, indicating that God's patience has run its course, and His just retribution is decisive and complete in its impact.

1 Thessalonians 2 16 Bonus section

• Paul, though severe in this verse towards those who opposed his ministry, consistently expressed deep love and sorrow for his own Jewish people (Rom 9:1-5). This passage is therefore not an expression of anti-Semitism, but a theological judgment on the specific actions of individuals who stood against the work of the Spirit.
• The phrase "is come upon them" can be interpreted as having prophetic fulfillment. While Paul writes prior to AD 70, many scholars understand the language as an anticipatory statement or a statement of an already determined and initiated judgment, climaxing in events like the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, which was seen by many early Christians as divine retribution for rejecting the Messiah and persecuting His followers.
• This verse reinforces the radical inclusiveness of the Christian Gospel, which broke down barriers between Jews and Gentiles, and the severe spiritual consequence for anyone who opposes God's open invitation to salvation.

1 Thessalonians 2 16 Commentary

1 Thessalonians 2:16 is a poignant expression of apostolic anguish and prophetic warning. It underscores the severity of obstructing the Gospel, portraying such action not merely as human disagreement, but as a direct affront to God's universal salvific plan for all humanity. The historical pattern of rejecting prophets and ultimately the Messiah by certain Jewish leaders and individuals culminated in their vehement opposition to the Gentile mission. This continuous rejection led to a full measure of culpability. Therefore, the divine wrath spoken of is God’s just response to a persistent and climactic rebellion against His will and the furtherance of His kingdom. It is a declaration of ultimate, inevitable judgment upon those whose persistent sin against God's plan reaches its divinely appointed limit. This serves as a warning against hardening one's heart and rejecting the Lord's calling, as God's righteous judgment is certain for unrepentant opposition.