1 Thessalonians 2 · Verse 18

1 Thessalonians 2:18

Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
1 Thessalonians 2:18, King James Version

1 Thessalonians 2:18 in other translations

BSBFor we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.
WEBbecause we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.
ASVbecause we would fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us.
YLTwherefore we wished to come unto you, (I indeed Paul,) both once and again, and the Adversary did hinder us;
DARBYwherefore we have desired to come to you, even I Paul, both once and twice, and Satan has hindered us.
BBEFor which reason we made attempts to come to you, even I, Paul, once and again; but Satan kept us from coming.
WebsterWherefore we would have come to you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

What does 1 Thessalonians 2:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. Wherefore--The oldest manuscripts read, "Because," or "Inasmuch as." we would--Greek, "we wished to come"; we intended to come. even I Paul--My fellow missionaries as well as myself wished to come; I can answer for myself that I intended it more than once. His slightly distinguishing himself here from his fellow missionaries, whom throughout this Epistle he associates with himself in the plural, accords with the fact that Silvanus and Timothy stayed at Berea when Paul went on to Athens; where subsequently Timothy joined him, and was thence sent by Paul alone to Thessalonica (1Th 3:1). Satan hindered us--On a different occasion "the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Jesus" (so the oldest manuscripts read), Ac 16:6, 7, forbad or hindered them in a missionary design; here it is Satan, acting perhaps by wicked men, some of whom had already driven him out of Thessalonica (Ac 17:13, 14; compare Joh 13:27), or else by some more direct "messenger of Satan--a thorn in the flesh" (2Co 12:7; compare 2Co 11:14). In any event, the Holy Ghost and the providence of God overruled Satan's opposition to further His own purpose. We cannot, in each case, define whence hindrances in good undertakings arise; Paul in this case, by inspiration, was enabled to say; the hindrance was from Satan. Grotius thinks Satan's mode of hindering Paul's journey to Thessalonica was by instigating the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers to cavil, which entailed on Paul the necessity of replying, and so detained him; but he seems to have left Athens leisurely (Ac 17:33, 34; 18:1). The Greek for "hindered" is literally, "to cut a trench between one's self and an advancing foe, to prevent his progress"; so Satan opposing the progress of the missionaries.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 18. Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul. The phrase "even I Paul," seems to be used by way of/emphasis, lie had a special desire to go himself. He had sent Timothy to them, (1Thes 3:2,6,) and perhaps some might have been disposed to allege that Paul was afraid to go himself, or that he did not feel interest enough in them to go, though he was willing to send one to visit them. Paul, therefore, is at much pains to assure them that his long separation from them was unavoidable.

But Satan hindered us. Comp. 2Cor 12:7. In what way this was done is unknown, and conjecture would be useless. The apostle recognised the hand of Satan in frustrating his attempt to do good, and preventing the accomplishment of his strong desire to see his Christian friends. In the obstacles, therefore, to the performance of our duty, and in the hindrances of our enjoyment, it is not improper to trace the hand of the great enemy of good. The agency of Satan may, for aught we can tell, be employed ill the embarrassments that we meet with in life. The hindrances which we meet with in our efforts to do good, when the providence of God seems to favour us, and his word and Spirit seem to call us to a particular duty, often look very much like the work of Satan. They are just such obstructions as a very wicked being would be glad to throw in our way.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Even I Paul - He had already sent Timothy and Silas to them; but he himself was anxious to see them, and had purposed this once and again, but Satan hindered; i.e., some adversary, as the word means, whether the devil himself, or some of his children. There was, however, such a storm of persecution raised up against him, that his friends did not think it prudent to permit him to go till the storm had been somewhat allayed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20

This world is not a place where we are to be always, or long together. In heaven holy souls shall meet, and never part more. And though the apostle could not come to them yet, and thought he might never be able to come, yet our Lord Jesus Christ will come; nothing shall hinder that. May God give faithful ministers to all who serve him with their spirit in the gospel of his Son, and send them to all who are in…

Read the full comment on 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 →

1 Thessalonians 2:18 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.

διότιdiotithereforeG1360
ἠθελήσαμενēthelēsamenwe wantedG2309
ἐλθεῖνeltheinto comeG2064
πρὸςprostoG4314
ὑμᾶς,humasyou —G4771
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
μὲνmenindeedG3303
ΠαῦλοςPaulosPaulG3972
καὶkaibothG2532
ἅπαξhapaxonceG530
καὶkaiandG2532
δίς,distwice —G1364
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐνέκοψενenekopsenhinderedG1465
ἡμᾶςhēmasusG3165
ὁho<the>G3588
σατανᾶς.satanasSatan.G4567

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

Cross references for 1 Thessalonians 2:18

  • Romans 15:22

    For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.

  • Romans 1:13

    Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

  • Revelation 2:10

    Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

  • Zechariah 3:1-2

    And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

  • 2 Corinthians 11:12-14

    But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

  • Matthew 4:10

    Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

  • Job 33:14

    For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

  • Revelation 12:9-12

    And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

  • Colossians 4:18

    The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. Written from Rome to the Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
even.
1Co 16:21; Col 4:18; 2Th 3:17; Phm 1:9
once.
Job 33:14; Php 4:16
Satan.
Zec 3:1,2; Ro 1:13; 15:22; 2Co 11:12-14; Re 2:10; 12:9-12

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

Context

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:17

    But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:18

    Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:19

    For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

Read all of 1 Thessalonians 2

1 Thessalonians 2:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Por lo cual quisimos ir á vosotros, yo Pablo á la verdad, una vez y otra; mas Satanás nos embarazó.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		c’est pourquoi nous avons voulu aller vers vous, moi Paul, et une fois et deux fois, et Satan nous en a empêchés.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Deshalb wollten wir zu euch kommen, einmal und zweimal, und der Satan hat uns verhindert.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quoniam voluimus venire ad vos, ego quidem Paulus, et semel, et iterum: sed impedivit nos Satanas.