2 Thessalonians 3:4 kjv
And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
2 Thessalonians 3:4 nkjv
And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.
2 Thessalonians 3:4 niv
We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.
2 Thessalonians 3:4 esv
And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.
2 Thessalonians 3:4 nlt
And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you.
2 Thessalonians 3 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Thess 3:4 | "We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command." | Directly stating assurance |
| 1 Thess 3:10 | "night and day praying earnestly that we might see you and supply what is lacking in your faith?" | Prayer for their faith |
| 1 Cor 1:8 | "He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." | God's sustaining power |
| Phil 1:6 | "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." | God's faithful work in believers |
| Gal 5:22-23 | "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." | Spiritual character |
| John 15:5 | "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." | Dependence on Christ |
| 1 Pet 1:7 | "These have come so that your faith of tested—more precious than gold, though it be finite—may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." | Testing of faith |
| Rom 8:29 | "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son..." | Predestination and conformity |
| 1 Cor 15:58 | "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." | Steadfastness and labor |
| 2 Cor 2:3 | "And I wrote as I did, that, when I came, I might not have sorrow from those who ought to have made me rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all." | Paul's previous confidence |
| Phil 2:12-13 | "...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." | Cooperation with God's work |
| Col 1:23 | "...if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you heard..." | Continuing in the faith |
| Heb 3:14 | "For we have become sharers of Christ, if indeed we hold our beginning to the end." | Fellowship and endurance |
| 1 John 4:16 | "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." | Knowing God's love |
| 2 Thess 2:16-17 | "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good word and deed." | God's comfort and strengthening |
| Acts 16:25 | "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." | Prayer and praise |
| 1 Thess 1:3 | "constantly remembering before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." | Fruit of faith, love, and hope |
| Rom 14:4 | "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." | God's ability to make stand |
| 1 Tim 6:20 | "Guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge..." | Guarding truth |
| 2 Tim 2:13 | "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." | God's faithfulness |
2 Thessalonians 3 verses
2 Thessalonians 3 4 Meaning
We have confidence in the Lord concerning you. This means that Paul and Silas, based on their knowledge of the Thessalonian believers and their genuine faith, were assured of their steadfastness and faithfulness in Christ. Their confidence was not based on their own works, but on God's work within them and His faithfulness to them.
2 Thessalonians 3 4 Context
In the preceding verses (2 Thessalonians 3:1-3), Paul had urged the Thessalonian believers to pray for him and his companions, specifically requesting that they pray for the Gospel to spread quickly and be honored, and for deliverance from wicked and evil people. He recognized that they themselves were being steadfast and righteous, as acknowledged by Christ. Now, Paul transitions to express his confidence in them, contrasting with the negative influences they faced. This verse serves as a positive affirmation of the believers' spiritual condition and a grounding for the subsequent instructions and warnings regarding idleness and disorderliness. The immediate context is the establishment of the credibility and spiritual well-being of the Thessalonian church, which underpins Paul's authoritative guidance.
2 Thessalonians 3 4 Word Analysis
ēchein (ἔχειν): "to have," "to possess." Here it signifies holding or maintaining confidence.
pepoithēsis (πεποίθησις): "confidence," "trust," "assurance." It’s a strong word indicating a deep-seated trust, not mere wishful thinking, but a conviction based on evidence. This is derived from the root verb peithō (πειθω), "to persuade."
en (ἐν): "in." Indicates the sphere or source of this confidence.
Kuriō (Κυρίῳ): "the Lord." Referring specifically to the Lord Jesus Christ, the source and object of their confidence and the one who empowers them.
hoti (ὅτι): "that." Introduces the content of their confidence.
autous (ὑμᾶς): "you" (plural). Directly addressing the Thessalonian believers.
poiein (ποιεῖν): "to do," "to make." Refers to their active obedience and practice of Christian duties.
kai (καὶ): "and." Connects the present action with future continuity.
mellontas (μέλλοντας): "about to," "intending to," "future participle." Indicates what they will do. This highlights continuity and ongoing commitment, not just a one-time act. It suggests a settled disposition to continue.
ta (τὰ): "the" (neuter plural accusative). Referring to specific things.
paraggellomen (παραγγέλλομεν): "command," "instruct," "charge." This refers to the apostolic instructions that Paul had given to the Thessalonians, both orally and in his previous letter. It’s a formal declaration or instruction.
Phrase/Group Analysis:
- "We have confidence in the Lord concerning you" (ēchein pepoithēsin en tw Kuriw ep' umas): This foundational phrase establishes the basis of Paul's assurance, grounding it in Christ, not solely on the Thessalonians' immediate actions. The preposition epi (ep') suggests confidence "upon" or "concerning" them.
- "that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command" (hoti poieite kai melllete poiein a paraggellomen): This part specifies the content of the confidence: their present practice of obedience and their sustained future commitment to these divine commands. The combination of present ("poieite") and future ("melllete poiein") tenses emphasizes both current faithfulness and future perseverance.
2 Thessalonians 3 4 Bonus Section
The confidence expressed here is crucial in an age where emotional instability and varied teachings could easily sway new believers. Paul anchors their identity and assurance in the unchanging nature of Christ and His work in them, rather than in their own fluctuating feelings or external circumstances. This serves as a pastoral affirmation, counterbalancing the stern warnings he is about to issue regarding laziness, reminding them of their spiritual standing before rebuking errant behavior. It's a powerful demonstration of how to correct with love and affirmation, first acknowledging the good before addressing the flawed.
2 Thessalonians 3 4 Commentary
Paul’s confidence is not an assumption but a certainty derived from his relationship with the Lord and his intimate knowledge of the Thessalonian believers’ genuine faith and love, evidenced in his first letter (1 Thess 1:3). This confidence acts as a foundation for his directives. It is a mutual confidence: they are to have confidence in God (as stated in the previous verse), and Paul, inspired by God, has confidence in them. This assurance is rooted in God’s power to sustain them and the Holy Spirit’s work within them, enabling them to obey. It highlights that obedience is a continuous process, involving both present action and a future disposition. Paul’s assurance here is not an endorsement of their perfection but a trust in their earnest desire to obey God’s word and a belief in God’s faithfulness to keep them.