1 Thessalonians 1 · Verse 8

1 Thessalonians 1:8

For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
1 Thessalonians 1:8, King James Version

1 Thessalonians 1:8 in other translations

BSBFor not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say anything more.
WEBFor from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that we need not say anything.
ASVFor from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith to God-ward is gone forth; so that we need not to speak anything.
YLTfor from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God did go forth, so that we have no need to say anything,
DARBYfor the word of the Lord sounded out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith which is towards God has gone abroad, so that we have no need to say anything;
BBEFor not only was the word of the Lord sounding out from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God is made clear; so that we have no need to say anything.
WebsterFor from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

What does 1 Thessalonians 1:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. from you sounded ... the word of the Lord--not that they actually became missionaries: but they, by the report which spread abroad of their "faith" (compare Ro 1:8), and by Christian merchants of Thessalonica who travelled in various directions, bearing "the word of the Lord" with them, were virtually missionaries, recommending the Gospel to all within reach of their influence by word and by example (1Th 1:7). In "sounded," the image is that of a trumpet filling with its clear-sounding echo all the surrounding places. to God-ward--no longer directed to idols. so that we need not to speak any thing--to them in praise of your faith; "for (1Th 1:9) they themselves" (the people in Macedonia, Achaia, and in every place) know it already.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord. The truths of religion were thus spread abroad. The word rendered, "sounded-out," εξηχηται refers to the sounding of a trumpet, (Bloomfield,) and the idea is, that the gospel was proclaimed like the sonorous voice of a trumpet echoing from place to place. Comp. Isa 58:1, Rev 1:10. Their influence had an effect in diffusing the gospel in other places, as if the sound of a trumpet echoed and re-echoed among the hills and along the vales of the classic land of Greece. This seems to have been done

(1.) involuntarily; that is, the necessary result of their conversion, even without any direct purpose of the kind of their own, would be to produce this effect. Their central and advantageous commercial position; the fact that many of them were in the habit of visiting other places; and the fact that they were visited by strangers from abroad, would naturally contribute to this result. But

(2.) this does not appear to be all that is intended. The apostle commends them in such a way as to make it certain that they were voluntary in the spread of the gospel; that they made decided efforts to take advantage of their position to send the knowledge of the truth abroad. If so, this is an interesting instance of one of the first efforts made by a church to diffuse the gospel, and to send it to those who were destitute of it. There is no improbability in the supposition that they sent out members of their church--messengers of salvation--to other parts of Macedonia and Greece, that they might communicate the same gospel to others. See Doddridge.

But also in every place. Thessalonica was connected not only with Macedonia and Greece proper, in its commercial relations, but also with the ports of Asia Minor, and not improbably with still more remote regions. The meaning is, that in all the places with which they trafficked, the effect of their faith was seen and spoken of.

Faith to God-ward. Fidelity toward God. They showed that they had a true belief in God, and in the truth which he had revealed.

So that we need not to speak anything. That is, wherever we go, we need say nothing of the fact that you have been turned to the Lord, or of the character of your piety. These things are sufficiently made known by those who come from you, by those who visit you, and by your zeal in spreading the true religion.

(a) "sounded out" Romm 10:18 (b) "place your faith" 2Thes 1:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 From you sounded out - As Thessalonica vas very conveniently situated for traffic, many merchants from thence traded through Macedonia, Achaia, and different parts of Greece. By these, the fame of the Thessalonians having received the doctrine of the Gospel was doubtless carried far and wide. And it appears that they had walked so conscientiously before God and man, that their friends could speak of them without a blush, and their adversaries could say nothing to their disgrace.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10

When careless, ignorant, and immoral persons are turned from their carnal pursuits and connexions, to believe in and obey the Lord Jesus, to live soberly, righteously, and godly, the matter speaks for itself. The believers under the Old Testament waited for the coming of the Messiah, and believers now wait for his second coming. He is yet to come. And God had raised him from the dead, which is a full assurance unto…

Read the full comment on 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 →

1 Thessalonians 1:8 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἀφ᾽aph᾽FromG575
ὑμῶνhumōnyouG4771
γὰρgarforG1063
ἐξήχηταιexēchētaihas sounded forthG1837
ὁhotheG3588
λόγοςlogoswordG3056
τοῦtouof theG3588
κυρίουkuriouLordG2962
οὐounotG3756
μόνονmonononlyG3441
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēa<the>G3588
ΜακεδονίᾳMakedoniaMacedoniaG3109
καὶkaiandG2532
Ἀχαΐᾳ,AchaiaAchaia,G882
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
ἐνeninG1722
παντὶpantieveryG3956
τόπῳtopōplaceG5117
ἡhētheG3588
πίστιςpistisfaithG4102
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
ἡhē<the>G3588
πρὸςprostowardG4314
τὸνton<the>G3588
θεὸνtheonGodG2316
ἐξελήλυθεν,exelēluthenhas gone abroad,G1831
ὥστεhōsteso as forG5620
μὴmēnotG3361
χρείανchreianneedG5532
ἔχεινecheinto haveG2192
ἡμᾶςhēmasusG3165
λαλεῖνlaleinto sayG2980
τι.tianything.G5100

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Thessalonians 1:8

  • Romans 1:8

    First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

  • Romans 10:14-18

    How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. …

  • Isaiah 52:7

    How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

  • Revelation 14:6

    And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

  • 3 John 1:12

    Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

  • 2 Thessalonians 1:4

    So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:1

    Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

  • Revelation 22:17

    And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

  • Isaiah 2:3

    And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

  • Romans 16:19

    For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

  • Exodus 18:9

    And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:36

    What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
from.
Isa 2:3; 52:7; 66:19; Ro 10:14-18; 1Co 14:36; 2Th 3:1; Re 14:6; 22:17
in every.
Ro 1:8; 2Th 1:4; 3Jo 1:12
God-ward.
Ex 18:9; 2Co 3:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:7

    So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:8

    For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:9

    For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

Read all of 1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque de vosotros ha sido divulgada la palabra del Señor no sólo en Macedonia y en Acaya, mas aun en todo lugar vuestra fe en Dios se ha extendido; de modo que no tenemos necesidad de hablar nada.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car la parole du Seigneur a retenti de chez vous, non seulement dans la Macédoine et dans l’Achaïe, mais, en tous lieux, votre foi envers Dieu s’est répandue, de sorte que nous n’avons pas besoin d’en rien dire.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn von euch aus ist das Wort des Herrn erschollen, nicht allein in Macedonien und in Achaja, sondern an jedem Orte ist euer Glaube an Gott ausgebreitet worden, so daß wir nicht nötig haben, etwas zu sagen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		A vobis enim diffamatus est sermo Domini, non solum in Macedonia, et in Achaia, sed et in omni loco fides vestra, quæ est ad Deum, profecta est ita ut non sit nobis necesse quidquam loqui.