1 Thessalonians 1 · Verse 9

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;
1 Thessalonians 1:9, King James Version

1 Thessalonians 1:9 in other translations

BSBFor they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God
WEBFor they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
ASVFor they themselves report concerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
YLTfor they themselves concerning us do declare what entrance we had unto you, and how ye did turn unto God from the idols, to serve a living and true God,
DARBYfor they themselves relate concerning us what entering in we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
BBEFor they themselves give the news of how we came among you; and how you were turned from images to God, to the worship of a true and living God,
WebsterFor they themselves show of us what manner of entrance we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God;

What does 1 Thessalonians 1:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. Strictly there should follow, "For they themselves show of you," &c.; but, instead, he substitutes that which was the instrumental cause of the Thessalonians' conversion and faith, "for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you"; compare 1Th 1:5, which corresponds to this former clause, as 1Th 1:6 corresponds to the latter clause. "And how ye turned from idols to serve the living ... God," &c. Instead of our having "to speak any thing" to them (in Macedonia and Achaia) in your praise (1Th 1:8), "they themselves (have the start of us in speaking of you, and) announce concerning (so the Greek of 'show of' means) us, what manner of (how effectual an) entrance we had unto you" (1Th 1:5; 2:1). the living and true God--as opposed to the dead and false gods from which they had "turned." In the English Version reading, Ac 17:4, "of the devout Greeks a great multitude," no mention is made, as here, of the conversion of idolatrous Gentiles at Thessalonica; but the reading of some of the oldest manuscripts and Vulgate singularly coincides with the statement here: "Of the devout AND of Greeks (namely, idolaters) a great multitude"; so in Ac 17:17, "the devout persons," that is, Gentile proselytes to Judaism, form a separate class. Paley and Lachmann, by distinct lines of argument, support the "AND."

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 9. For they themselves. They who have visited you, and they whom you have sent out: all persons testify of your piety. The apostle seems to refer to all whom he had met or had heard of "in all places," who said anything about the Thessalonians. They were unanimous in bearing testimony to their fidelity and piety.

Show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you. The testimony which they bear of you is, in fact, testimony of the manner in which we preached the gospel, and demeaned ourselves when we were with you. It shows that we were intent on our Master's work, and that we were not actuated by selfish or sinister motives. The argument is, that such effects could not have been produced among them if Paul, Silas, and their fellow-labourers had been impostors. Their sound conversion to God; their change from idolatry to the true religion, and the zeal which had been the result of their conversion, was an argument to which Paul and his fellow-labourers might appeal in proof of their sincerity and their being sent from God. Paul often makes a similar appeal, Comp. 2Cor 3:2, 2Cor 3:3. It is certain that many of the Jews in Thessalonica, when Paul and his fellow-labourers were there, regarded them as impostors, Acts 17:6,8; and there is every reason to suppose that after they left the city, they would endeavour to keep up this impression among the people. To meet this, Paul now says that their own undoubted conversion to life of holiness and zeal under their ministry, was in unanswerable argument that this was not so. How could impostors and deceivers have been the means of producing such effects?

And how ye turned to God from idols. That is, under our preaching. This proves that the church was, to a considerable extent, composed of those who were converted from idolatry under the preaching of Paul. Comp. Intro. paragraph 5. The meaning here is, that they who came from them, or they who had visited them, bore abundant testimony to the fact that they had turned from idols to the worship of the true God. Comp. 1Cor 12:2, Gall 4:8.

To serve the living and true God. He is called the "living God" in opposition to idols --who are represented as dead, dumb, deaf, and blind. Comp. Ps 135:15-17. Isa 44:10 and following; Mt 16:16; Jn 5:26; Acts 14:15.

(c) "to God from idols" 1Cor 12:2, Gall 4:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 How ye turned to God from idols - This could not be spoken either of the Jews or of the devout persons, but of the heathen Greeks, and of such it appears that the majority of the Church was formed. See what is said on this subject in the preface to this epistle. To serve the living and true God - The living God; in opposition to the idols, which were either inanimate stocks or stones, or the representations of dead men. The true God - In opposition to the whole system of idolatry, which was false in the objects of its adoration, false in its pretensions, false in its promises, and false in all its prospects.

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 1:9 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.

αὐτοὶautoiThey themselvesG846
γὰρgarforG1063
περὶpericoncerningG4012
ἡμῶνhēmōnusG3165
ἀπαγγέλλουσινapangellousinreportG518
ὁποίανhopoianwhatG3697
εἴσοδονeisodonreceptionG1529
ἔσχομενeschomenwe hadG2192
πρὸςprosfromG4314
ὑμᾶς,humasyou,G4771
καὶkaiandG2532
πῶςpōshowG4459
ἐπεστρέψατεepestrepsateyou turnedG1994
πρὸςprostoG4314
τὸνton<the>G3588
θεὸνtheonGodG2316
ἀπὸapofromG575
τῶνtōn<the>G3588
εἰδώλωνeidōlōnidolsG1497
δουλεύεινdouleueinto serveG1398
θεῷtheō[the] GodG2316
ζῶντιzōntilivingG2198
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀληθινῷalēthinōtrueG228

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

Cross references for 1 Thessalonians 1:9

  • 1 Timothy 4:10

    For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:2

    Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

  • Galatians 4:8-9

    Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

  • Zephaniah 2:11

    The Lord will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.

  • Zechariah 8:20-23

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:13

    For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

  • Acts 14:15

    And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

  • Psalms 42:2

    My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

  • Acts 26:17-18

    Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

  • Daniel 6:26

    I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:1

    For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:

  • Hosea 1:10

    Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
what.
5,6; 2:1,13
ye.
Isa 2:17-21; Jer 16:19; Zep 2:11; Zec 8:20-23; Mal 1:11; Ac 14:15
Ac 26:17,18; 1Co 12:2; Ga 4:8,9
the living.
De 5:26; 1Sa 17:26,36; Ps 42:2; 84:2; Isa 37:4,17; Jer 10:10
Da 6:26; Ho 1:10; Ro 9:26; 2Co 6:16,17; 1Ti 4:10; Heb 12:22; Re 17:2

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

Context

  • 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;

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:10

    And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Read all of 1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque ellos cuentan de nosotros cuál entrada tuvimos á vosotros; y cómo os convertisteis de los ídolos á Dios, para servir al Dios vivo y verdadero,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car eux-mêmes racontent de nous quelle entrée nous avons eue auprès de vous, et comment vous vous êtes tournés des idoles vers Dieu, pour servir le Dieu vivant et vrai,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn sie selbst verkündigen von uns, welchen Eingang wir bei euch hatten, und wie ihr euch von den Götzenbildern zu Gott bekehrt habt, dem lebendigen und wahren Gott zu dienen
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ipsi enim de nobis annuntiant qualem introitum habuerimus ad vos: et quomodo conversi estis ad Deum a simulacris, servire Deo vivo, et vero,