2 Thessalonians 1 · Verse 11

2 Thessalonians 1:11

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

2 Thessalonians 1:11, King James Version

2 Thessalonians 1:11 in other translations

BSB	To this end, we always pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of His calling, and that He will powerfully fulfill your every good desire and work of faith,
WEB	To this end we also pray always for you that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith with power,
ASV	To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power;
YLT	for which also we do pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of the calling, and may fulfil all the good pleasure of goodness, and the work of the faith in power,
DARBY	To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of the calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power,
BBE	For this reason, you are ever in our prayers, that you may seem to our God such as may have a part in his purpose and that by his power he will make all his good purpose, and the work of faith, complete;
Webster	Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

What does 2 Thessalonians 1:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. Wherefore--Greek, "With a view to which," namely, His glorification in you as His saints. also--We not only anticipate the coming glorification of our Lord in His saints, but we also pray concerning (so the Greek) YOU. our God--whom we serve. count you worthy--The prominent position of the "You" in the Greek makes it the emphatic word of the sentence. May you be found among the saints whom God shall count worthy of their calling (Ep 4:1)! There is no dignity in us independent of God's calling of us (2Ti 1:9). The calling here is not merely the first actual call, but the whole of God's electing act, originating in His "purpose of grace given us in Christ before the world began," and having its consummation in glory. the good pleasure of, &c.--on the part of God [Bengel]. faith--on your part. Alford refers the former clause, "good pleasure of his goodness," also to man, arguing that the Greek for "goodness" is never applied to God, and translates, "All [that is, every possible] right purpose of goodness." Wahl, "All sweetness of goodness," that is, impart in full to you all the refreshing delights of goodness. I think that, as in the previous and parallel clause, "calling" refers to God's purpose; and as the Greek for "good pleasure" mostly is used of God, we ought to translate, "fulfil (His) every gracious purpose of goodness (on your part)," that is, fully perfect in you all goodness according to His gracious purpose. Thus, "the grace of our God," 2Th 1:12, corresponds to God's "good pleasure" here, which confirms the English Version, just as "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ" is parallel to "work of faith," as Christ especially is the object of faith. "The work of faith"; Greek, (no article; supply from the previous clause all) work of faith"; faith manifested by work, which is its perfected development (Jas 1:4; compare Note, see on 1Th 1:3). Working reality of faith. with power--Greek, "in power," that is, "powerfully fulfil in you" (Col 1:11).

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 11. Wherefore also we pray always for you. 1Thes 1:2.

That our God would count you worthy of this calling. Marg., "or, vouchsafe." The meaning is, "that he would regard you as worthy of this calling." 2Thes 1:5.

Of this calling. Eph 4:1. The "calling" here, is that which had brought them into the kingdom, and led them to become Christians.

And fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness. That is, make the work of salvation complete and effectual. Oldshausen has well expressed the sense: "May God fill you with all that good which is pleasing to him." The thoughts in the passage are,

(1.) that the purpose towards them on the part of God was one of "goodness" or benevolence;

(2.) that there was a state of mind which would be regarded by him as pleasing, or as his "good pleasure ;" and

(3.) that Paul wished that this might be accomplished in them. desired that there might be in them everything which would be pleasing to God, and which his benevolence was fitted to secure.

And the work of faith. The work which faith is adapted to produce on the soul. See 1Jn 5:4,5.

With power. Effectually, completely. The apostle prays that so much power may be exerted as will be sufficient to secure the object. The work of religion on the soul is always represented in the Bible as one of power.

(1) "count" "vouchsafe" (a) "worthy" Col 1:12, Rev 3:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 We pray - that our God would count you worthy - It is our earnest prayer that God would make you worthy, αξιωσῃ, afford those continual supplies of grace by his Holy Spirit, without which you cannot adorn your holy vocation; you are called into the Christian Church, and, to be proper members of this Church, you must be members of the mystical body of Christ; and this implies that you should be holy, as he who has called you is holy. Fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness - 1. The goodness of God - his own innate eternal kindness, has led him to call you into this state of salvation. 2. It is the pleasure of that goodness to save you unto eternal life. 3. It is the good pleasure; nothing can please God more than your receiving and retaining his utmost salvation. 4. It is all the good pleasure of his goodness thus to save you; this he has amply proved by sending his Son to die for you, beyond which gift he has none greater. In this, all the good pleasure of his goodness is astonishingly manifested. 5. And if you be faithful to his grace, he will fulfill - completely accomplish, all the good pleasure of his goodness in you; which goodness is to be apprehended and is to work by faith, the power of which must come from him, though the act or exercise of that power must be of yourselves; but the very power to believe affords excitement to the exercise of faith.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Believing thoughts and expectations of the second coming of Christ should lead us to pray to God more, for ourselves and others. If there is any good in us, it is owing to the good pleasure of his goodness, and therefore it is called grace. There are many purposes of grace and good-will in God toward his people, and the apostle prays that God would complete in them the work of faith with power. This is to their doing every other good work. The power of God not only begins, but carries on the work of faith. And this is the great end and design of the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, which is made known to us, and wrought in us.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Thessalonians 1:11 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.

εἰςeisforG1519

ὃhowhichG3739

καὶkaialsoG2532

προσευχόμεθαproseuchomethawe prayG4336

πάντοτεpantotealwaysG3842

περὶperiforG4012

ὑμῶνhumōnyouG4771

ἵναinathatG2443

ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771

ἀξιώσῃaxiōsēHe may count worthyG515

τῆςtēsof theG3588

κλήσεωςklēseōscallingG2821

ὁhoof theG3588

θεὸςtheosGodG2316

ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165

καὶkaiandG2532

πληρώσῃplērōsēHe may fulfillG4137

πᾶσανpasaneveryG3956

εὐδοκίανeudokiangood pleasureG2107

ἀγαθωσύνηςagathōsunēsof goodnessG19

καὶkaiandG2532

ἔργονergonworkG2041

πίστεωςpisteōsof faithG4102

ἐνenwithG1722

δυνάμει,dunameipower,G1411

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

Cross references for 2 Thessalonians 1:11

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Colossians 1:9-13
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: …
1 Thessalonians 1:3
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
2 Thessalonians 2:14
Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: …
2 Thessalonians 1:5
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
Titus 3:4-7
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Philippians 1:9-11
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Luke 12:32
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
1 Thessalonians 2:12-13
That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. 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.
Ephesians 1:5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

we pray.
Ro 1:9; Eph 1:16; 3:14-21; Php 1:9-11; Col 1:9-13; 1Th 3:9-13
our God.
Ps 48:14; 68:20; Isa 25:9; 55:7; Da 3:17; Re 5:10
would.
5; Col 1:12; Re 3:4
count. or, vouchsafe. calling.
2:14; Ro 8:30; 9:23,24; Php 3:14; 1Th 2:12; Heb 3:1; 1Pe 5:10
fulfil.
Ps 138:8; Pr 4:18; Isa 66:9; Ho 6:3; Zec 4:7; Mr 4:28; 1Co 1:8
Php 1:6
the good.
Ps 51:18; Lu 12:32; Eph 1:5,9; Php 2:13; Tit 3:4-7
the work.
Joh 6:27-29; Eph 1:19,20; 1Th 1:3; 2:13; Heb 12:2

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

Context

2 Thessalonians 1:10
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
2 Thessalonians 1:11
Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
2 Thessalonians 1:12
That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Read all of 2 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians 1:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Por lo cual, asimismo oramos siempre por vosotros, que nuestro Dios os tenga por dignos de su vocación, é hincha de bondad todo buen intento, y toda obra de fe con potencia,
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	C’est pour cela que nous prions aussi toujours pour vous, que notre Dieu vous juge dignes de l’appel, et qu’il accomplisse tout le bon plaisir de sa bonté et l’œuvre de la foi en puissance,
German Elberfelder 1871	Weshalb wir auch allezeit für euch beten, auf daß unser Gott euch würdig erachte der Berufung und erfülle alles Wohlgefallen seiner Gütigkeit und das Werk des Glaubens in Kraft,
Latin Clementine Vulgate	In quo etiam oramus semper pro vobis: ut dignetur vos vocatione sua Deus noster, et impleat omnem voluntatem bonitatis, et opus fidei in virtute,