2 Thessalonians 1 · Verse 4

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 1:4, King James Version

2 Thessalonians 1:4 in other translations

BSBThat is why we boast among God’s churches about your perseverance and faith in the face of all the persecution and affliction you are enduring.
WEBso that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your perseverance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure.
ASVso that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure;
YLTso that we ourselves do glory in you in the assemblies of God, for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye bear;
DARBYso that we ourselves make our boast in you in the assemblies of God for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations, which ye are sustaining;
BBESo that we ourselves take pride in you in the churches of God for your untroubled mind and your faith in all the troubles and sorrows which you are going through;
WebsterSo 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:

What does 2 Thessalonians 1:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. glory in you--make our boast of you, literally, "in your case." "Ourselves" implies that not merely did they hear others speaking of the Thessalonians' faith, but they, the missionaries themselves, boasted of it. Compare 1Th 1:8, wherein the apostle said, their faith was so well known in various places, that he and his fellow missionaries had no need to speak of it; but here he says, so abounding is their love, combined with faith and patience, that he and his fellow missionaries themselves, make it a matter of glorying in the various churches elsewhere (he was now at Corinth in Achaia, and boasted there of the faith of the Macedonian churches, 2Co 10:15-17; 8:1, at the same time giving the glory to the Lord), not only looking forward to glorying thereat at Christ's coming (1Th 2:19), but doing so even now. patience--in 1Th 1:3, "patience of hope." Here hope is tacitly implied as the ground of their patience; 2Th 1:5, 7 state the object of their hope, namely, the kingdom for which they suffer. tribulations--literally, "pressures." The Jews were the instigators of the populace and of the magistrates against Christians (Ac 17:6, 8). which ye endure--Greek, "are (now) enduring."

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4. So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God. That is, we mention your example to other churches, and glory in it, as an evidence of what the gospel is fitted to do. 1Thes 2:19, 1Thes 2:20. Comp. 2Cor 9:2.

For your patience. Your patient endurance of trials.

And faith. Fidelity, or constancy. You have shown unwavering confidence in God in your afflictions.

In all your persecutions and tribulation, that ye endure. 1Thes 2:14; 1Thes 4:13. It would seem from this that the persecutions and trials to which the apostle referred in his first epistle were still continued.

(a) "glory" 2Cor 9:2, 1Thes 2:19,20 (b) "endure" Jas 5:11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 We ourselves glory in you in the Churches of God - We hold you up as an example of what the grace of God, can produce when communicated to honest and faithful hearts. For your patience and faith - From Act 17:5, Act 17:13, and from 1Thes 2:14, we learn, that the people of Thessalonica had suffered much persecution, both from the Jews and their own countrymen; but being thoroughly convinced of the truth of the Gospel, and feeling it to be the power of God unto salvation, no persecution could turn them aside from it. And having suffered for the truth, it was precious to them. Persecution never essentially injured the genuine Church of God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4

Where there is the truth of grace, there will be an increase of it. The path of the just is as the shining light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day. And where there is the increase of grace, God must have all the glory. Where faith grows, love will abound, for faith works by love. It shows faith and patience, such as may be proposed as a pattern for others, when trials from God, and persecutions from…

Read the full comment on 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 →

2 Thessalonians 1:4 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.

ὥστεhōsteso as forG5620
αὐτοὺςautousourselvesG846
ἡμᾶςhēmasusG3165
ἐνeninG1722
ὑμῖνhuminyouG4771
ἐγκαυχᾶσθαιegkauchasthaito greatly boast
ἐνeninG1722
ταῖςtaistheG3588
ἐκκλησίαιςekklēsiaischurchesG1577
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
ὑπὲρhuperaboutG5228
τῆςtēstheG3588
ὑπομονῆςhupomonēsperseveranceG5281
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
καὶkaiandG2532
πίστεωςpisteōsfaithG4102
ἐνeninG1722
πᾶσινpasinallG3956
τοῖςtoistheG3588
διωγμοῖςdiōgmoispersecutionsG1375
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
καὶkaiandG2532
ταῖςtaisin theG3588
θλίψεσινthlipsesintribulationsG2347
αἷςhaisthatG3739
ἀνέχεσθε,anechestheyou are bearing,G430

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

Cross references for 2 Thessalonians 1:4

  • Hebrews 10:36

    For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

  • James 5:7-8

    Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

  • Hebrews 12:1-3

    Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

  • 2 Corinthians 7:14

    For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:14

    For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

  • 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?

  • 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;

  • 1 Corinthians 7:17

    But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

  • Romans 5:3-5

    And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

  • Revelation 14:12

    Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

  • James 5:11

    Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

  • 2 Corinthians 9:2

    For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
glory.
2Co 7:14; 9:2,4; 1Th 2:19
your patience.
3:5; Ro 2:7; 5:3-5; 8:25; 12:12; 1Th 1:3; 3:2-8; Heb 6:15; 10:36
Heb 12:1-3; Jas 1:3,4; 5:7,8; 2Pe 1:6; Re 14:12
your persecutions.
1Th 2:14; 3:3,4; Jas 5:11

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

Context

  • 2 Thessalonians 1:3

    We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

  • 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 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:

Read all of 2 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians 1:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Tanto, que nosotros mismos nos gloriamos de vosotros en las iglesias de Dios, de vuestra paciencia y fe en todas vuestras persecuciones y tribulaciones que sufrís:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		en sorte que nous-mêmes nous nous glorifions de vous dans les assemblées de Dieu au sujet de votre patience et de votre foi dans toutes vos persécutions et dans les tribulations que vous supportez,
German
Elberfelder 1871		so daß wir selbst uns euer rühmen in den Versammlungen Gottes wegen eures Ausharrens und Glaubens in allen euren Verfolgungen und Drangsalen, die ihr erduldet;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		ita ut et nos ipsi in vobis gloriemur in ecclesiis Dei, pro patientia vestra, et fide, et in omnibus persecutionibus vestris, et tribulationibus, quas sustinetis