1 Thessalonians 2:2
Bold in our God
- The gospel’s word εὐαγγέλιον euangelion · gospel
Original
Translations
As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.
But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
but having both suffered before, and having been mistreated (as you have known) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the good news of God in much conflict,
너희 아는 바와 같이 우리가 먼저 빌립보에서 고난과 능욕을 당하였으나 우리 하나님을 힘입어 많은 싸움 중에 하나님의 복음을 너희에게 말하였노라
너희가 아는 바와 같이 우리가 전에 빌립보에서 고난을 당하고 또 치욕을 당한 뒤에도 많은 싸움을 싸우며 하나님의 복음을 너희에게 말하려고 우리 하나님 안에서 담대하였노라.
Commentaries
Matthew Henry on 1Thess 2:1-6 as a whole
The apostle had no wordly design in his preaching. Suffering in a good cause should sharpen holy resolution. The gospel of Christ at first met with much opposition; and it was preached with contention, with striving in preaching, and against opposition. …
Read the whole commentary →Wesley 1Thess 2:2
We had suffered - In several places. We are bold - Notwithstanding. With much contention - Notwithstanding both inward and outward conflicts of all kinds.
Read the whole commentary →
Note
Before Paul came to Thessalonica he had been beaten and jailed in Philippi. This verse tells how, soon afterwards, he spoke again in the next city, and for the first time in the letter it calls what he preached the gospel of God.
As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.
1 Thessalonians 2:2In chapter 2 Paul looks back on his visit. "You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain" (1 Thessalonians 2:1), he begins, and then, as if answering a suspicion that he was one more travelling talker after money or praise, he goes through it point by point: no deceit, no flattery, no greed. The first evidence is Philippi. There, Acts says, the magistrates "ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods" (Acts 16:22), and the jailer fastened their feet in the stocks (Acts 16:24). Paul protested afterwards: "They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens" (Acts 16:37). The word behind "shameful treatment", ὑβρισθέντες, is the word for that kind of outrage.
The noun is the object of the infinitive λαλῆσαι, "to speak", and it now carries a genitive: of God. In chapter 1 Paul said "our gospel"; in this chapter he says "the gospel of God" three times (2:8; 2:9). The message comes from God and tells what God has done. "We were bold" is , to speak openly, holding nothing back, the free speech of a citizen. Paul places that boldness "in our God", not in himself. And the "opposition" is , a word from the games: a contest, a struggle with all one's strength.
The KJV's "with much contention" and the LSV's "in much conflict" keep the sense of a struggle; the BSB turns it outward, "in the face of strong opposition". That is certainly part of it, since the synagogue and then the city turned against them (Acts 17:5). But an agōn can be fought inside as well as out.
Wesley takes it both ways: "Notwithstanding both inward and outward conflicts of all kinds" Wesley. Matthew Henry notes that "The gospel of Christ at first met with much opposition" Matthew Henry, and draws the lesson: "Suffering in a good cause should sharpen holy resolution" Matthew Henry.
The Thessalonians heard the gospel from men who had just been beaten in Philippi. Their courage, Paul says, was not temperament but God's gift. The news they would not keep quiet about is the news that has been handed on, often at such a cost, ever since.