2 Thessalonians 2 16

2 Thessalonians 2:16 kjv

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

2 Thessalonians 2:16 nkjv

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,

2 Thessalonians 2:16 niv

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,

2 Thessalonians 2:16 esv

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

2 Thessalonians 2:16 nlt

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope,

2 Thessalonians 2 verses

2 Thessalonians 2 16 Meaning

2 Thessalonians 2:16 expresses a profound prayer or blessing, initiating a request to both God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It attributes to them the past actions of loving believers, providing them with eternal comfort, and granting them a good hope. This divine bestowal of blessings is emphatically declared to be by grace, underscoring that these profound spiritual realities are unearned gifts from God, foundational for the believers' steadfastness amidst deception and tribulation.

2 Thessalonians 2 16 Context

The Apostle Paul concludes chapter 2 with a fervent prayer and benediction for the Thessalonian believers. This verse immediately follows his strong exhortation for them to "stand firm and hold to the traditions" they were taught (v. 15). The broader context of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 is Paul addressing their confusion and alarm regarding the timing of the "day of the Lord." He details the "man of lawlessness" and the coming apostasy, aiming to correct misunderstandings and provide reassurance against deception (v. 1-12). He also expresses profound gratitude for their election by God for salvation (v. 13-14). Therefore, verse 16 is a prayer asking for divine strength, encouragement, and grounded hope, directly countering the anxieties and potential deceptions discussed earlier, and reinforcing the secure foundation of their faith in God's unchanging character and grace. It sets the stage for the request in verse 17, which asks God to strengthen their hearts in every good word and deed.

2 Thessalonians 2 16 Word analysis

• Now (Δὲ - De): A Greek particle indicating a transition or gentle shift. Here, it introduces a new emphasis, moving from the apostolic exhortation to a prayer for divine intervention. It signifies "and now, therefore," linking the call to steadfastness with God's enabling power.
• may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς - Autos de ho Kyrios hēmōn Iēsous Christos):
  • Αὐτὸς (Autos): "Himself." This emphatic pronoun stresses the direct, personal agency of Jesus Christ. It implies He acts directly, not through intermediaries, highlighting His divine initiative.
  • Κύριος (Kyrios): "Lord." A title signifying supreme authority, ownership, and divine sovereignty. Its application to Jesus asserts His divine status and mastership over believers.
  • Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς (Iesous Christos): "Jesus Christ." Specifies His person (Jesus of Nazareth) and His office (Christ, the Anointed One/Messiah). His personal identity is foundational to His power.
• and God our Father (καὶ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ ἡμῶν - kai ho Theos kai Patēr hēmōn):
  • Θεὸς (Theos): "God." Refers to the ultimate Divine Being.
  • Πατὴρ (Patēr): "Father." Highlights God's intimate, relational role as the source and benevolent initiator. The unified presentation of "our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father" as the joint subjects of this blessing underscores their shared deity and harmonious operation within the Godhead.
• who has loved us (ὁ ἀγαπήσας ἡμᾶς - ho agapēsas hēmas):
  • ἀγαπήσας (agapēsas): Aorist participle from agapaō, signifying a completed action of profound, selfless, divine love. God's love for believers is a past, definitive act that continues to yield eternal effects, serving as the immutable basis for all subsequent blessings.
• and given us (καὶ δόντος - kai dontos): Aorist participle from didōmi, "to give, bestow." Like "has loved us," this denotes a completed act of generous divine provision. Because God loved, He also gave, emphasizing His initiative.
• eternal comfort (παράκλησιν αἰωνίαν - paraklēsin aiōnian):
  • παράκλησιν (paraklēsin): "Comfort, encouragement, consolation, exhortation." It speaks of divine presence and strength "called alongside" the believer. This is not mere sorrow relief, but powerful, equipping support.
  • αἰωνίαν (aiōnian): "Eternal, everlasting." This comfort is not temporary but perpetual, deriving its limitless nature and enduring quality from God's own eternity. It assures lasting peace regardless of earthly tribulation.
• and good hope (καὶ ἐλπίδα ἀγαθὴν - kai elpida agathēn):
  • ἐλπίδα (elpida): "Hope." In the biblical sense, this is a firm, confident expectation and assurance of future blessedness, not a wishful uncertainty. It is grounded in God's faithfulness and promises.
  • ἀγαθὴν (agathēn): "Good, beneficial, excellent." This hope is wholesome, pure, and spiritually edifying. It provides genuine peace and resilience, unlike any fleeting or worldly expectation.
• by grace (ἐν χάριτι - en chariti):
  • χάριτι (chariti): "Grace, unmerited favor." This phrase defines the sole manner by which these blessings are bestowed. It fundamentally asserts that God's love, comfort, and hope are utterly unearned gifts, stemming from His own benevolent character and unconstrained will. It eliminates any notion of human merit in receiving these spiritual realities.

2 Thessalonians 2 16 Bonus section

This verse forms the first part of a concluding prayer (2:16-17), characteristic of Paul's epistolary style, where theological truths are often immediately followed by practical exhortations or pastoral prayers for the believers. The use of "Himself" (autos) alongside Christ and the Father points to a developing Christology in the early church, signifying Christ's direct and divine agency, akin to the Father's. The concept of "eternal comfort" (paraklēsis aiōnia) transcends mere emotional consolation, implying enduring strength and constant spiritual support that the world cannot offer or take away, rooted in God's faithfulness and His covenant. This specific comfort counters the anxiety and fear the Thessalonians faced regarding false teachings about the Day of the Lord. The "good hope" provides an eschatological perspective, reminding believers that their ultimate future is secured in God's promises and Christ's eventual return, empowering them to live faithfully in the present. The placement of this prayer, directly after addressing significant theological and eschatological concerns, provides reassurance and grounds the believers in God's unchanging nature and gifts.

2 Thessalonians 2 16 Commentary

2 Thessalonians 2:16 initiates a powerful benedictory prayer, grounding the Thessalonian believers' endurance in the sovereign acts of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The co-invocation of Father and Son emphasizes their shared divine authority and unity in blessing believers, refuting any separation in their benevolent purposes. Paul assures the Thessalonians that their divine resources are secure: God has definitively loved them with an unchanging agape love and given them an "eternal comfort" – a perpetual, strengthening solace that transcends any temporal distress or deception, derived from His own boundless nature. Simultaneously, He has granted them a "good hope," which is not a tentative wish, but a confident expectation and certainty regarding their future with God, an anchor for their souls in the midst of turmoil. Crucially, Paul highlights that all these profound spiritual provisions are "by grace," unequivocally stressing their unmerited nature. This grace underscores that believers' standing, peace, and future assurance are entirely dependent on God's benevolent initiative and not on human merit or fleeting circumstances. This divine foundation prepares believers to stand firm and abound in every good work and word, as elaborated in the subsequent verse, empowering them against the deceptions previously discussed.