I Thessalonians 2:13 · Bible study
1 Thessalonians 2:13 Commentary: Welcoming God’s Word as Truth
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore how the Thessalonians received Paul’s message as divine, not human, and the active power this word releases in believers.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul thanks God that the Thessalonians accepted his preaching as God’s own word, not a human message, and that this word is actively at work in them.
- Key words: paralabontes (received orally), edexasthē (welcomed heartily), energeitai (continuously works, middle voice).
- Main debate: Whether the relative pronoun “which” (hos) refers to “the word of God” (most commentators) or to “God” (Barnes notes grammatical possibility).
- Theological theme: Divine authority of Scripture and the active, transformative power of God’s word in the believer.
- Best use: To strengthen faith in the Bible as God’s word and encourage gratitude for the Spirit’s work in hearing and receiving it.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the word which is now at work in you who believe.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For this cause we also thank God without ceasing that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, God’s word, which also works in you who believe.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Because of this also, we--we do give thanks to God continually, that, having received the word of hearing from us of God, ye accepted, not the word of man, but as it is truly, the word of God, who also doth work in you who believe;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And for this cause we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received [the] word of [the] report of God by us, ye accepted, not men's word, but, even as it is truly, God's word, which also works in you who believe.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Therefore, we also give thanks to God without ceasing: because, that when you had received of us the word of the hearing of God, you received it not as the word of men, but (as it is indeed) the word of God, who worketh in you that have believed.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por lo cual, también nosotros damos gracias á Dios sin cesar, de que habiendo recibido la palabra de Dios que oísteis de nosotros, recibisteis no palabra de hombres, sino según es en verdad, la palabra de Dios, el cual obra en vosotros los que creísteis.
Por isso também agradecemos sem cessar a Deus, que, quando recebestes a palavra da Deus pregada por nós, a recebestes, não como palavra de homens, mas (conforme em verdade é) como a palavra de Deus, a qual também opera em vós, que credes.
C’ est pourquoi nous rendons continuellement grâces à Dieu de ce qu’ en recevant la parole de Dieu, que nous vous avons fait entendre, vous l’ avez reçue, non comme la parole des hommes, mais, ainsi qu’ elle l’ est véritablement, comme la parole de Dieu, qui agit en vous qui croyez.
Darum danken auch wir ohne Unterlaß Gott, daß ihr, da ihr empfinget von uns das Wort göttlicher Predigt, es aufnahmt nicht als Menschenwort, sondern, wie es denn wahrhaftig ist, als Gottes Wort, welcher auch wirkt in euch, die ihr glaubet.
Daarom danken wij ook God zonder ophouden, dat, als gij het Woord der prediking van God van ons ontvangen hebt, gij dat aangenomen hebt, niet als der mensen woord, maar (gelijk het waarlijk is) als Gods Woord, dat ook werkt in u, die gelooft.
E per questa ragione anche noi rendiamo del continuo grazie a Dio: perché quando riceveste da noi la parola della predicazione, cioè la parola di Dio, voi l’accettaste non come parola d’uomini, ma, quale essa è veramente, come parola di Dio, la quale opera efficacemente in voi che credete.
Przetoż i my dziękujemy Bogu bez przestanku, iż przyjąwszy słowo Boże, któreście słyszeli od nas, przyjęliście nie jako słowo ludzkie, ale (jako w prawdzie jest) jako słowo Boże, które też skuteczne jest w was, którzy wierzycie.
Посему и мы непрестанно благодарим Бога, что, приняв от нас слышанное слово Божие, вы приняли не как слово человеческое, но как слово Божие, — каково оно есть по истине, — которое и действует в вас, верующих.
為此，我們 也 不住地 感謝 神，因 你們聽見 我們所傳 神 的道 就領受了；不 以為 是人的 道，乃 以為是 神的 道。這道實在是 神的，並且 運行 在 你們 信主的人心中。
And for this cause we still give praise to God, that, when the word came to your ears through us, you took it, not as the word of man, but, as it truly is, the word of God, which has living power in you who have faith.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Thessalonians 2:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Paul’s thanksgiving centers on the Thessalonians’ discernment: they recognized his preaching as God’s own word, not a human opinion. Calvin insists that this persuasion produces reverence and obedience, “it is impossible but that a holy disposition to obey takes possession of our minds.” Barnes notes that faith rooted in divine authority, not human rhetoric, endures persecution. The Greek verb tenses sharpen the point. The first, paralabontes (having received), describes taking in the oral message; the second, edexasthē (you accepted), means to welcome heartily, as one receives a guest (Vincent, Cambridge Bible). Together they show that hearing alone is incomplete, true reception involves embracing the message as God’s. The word energeitai, middle voice, indicates power at work within believers, a continuous divine activity (Vincent). Clarke adds that the Holy Spirit makes the doctrine “work most powerfully” toward holiness. The consensual core is clear: the gospel is not a human invention, and when received as God’s truth, it transforms lives from the inside.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Word-centered view: The pronoun hos refers to 'the word of God' (λογον θεου). Commentators like Vincent and Gill argue that the immediate context and the parallel in Phil 2:13 support this, emphasizing the active power of Scripture.
- God-centered view: Barnes observes that hos could grammatically refer to 'God' (θεος), noting that God is the one who works in believers (cf. Phil 2:13). This view underscores divine agency behind the word.
What is clear: The Thessalonians received Paul's preaching as divine revelation, not human opinion, and this word is actively transforming them through faith.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Two Greek verbs for receiving | The first verb (paralambanō) refers to hearing the message; the second (dechomai) implies a warm, personal welcome. Commentators agree that Paul highlights the active embrace of the word beyond passive hearing. | Some interpreters see the distinction as a contrast between mere hearing and saving faith (Calvin, Barnes). Others (Cambridge Bible) emphasize that dechomai can mean to receive a guest, pointing to the hospitality of faith, not a sharp dichotomy. |
| Referent of 'which works' (hos energeitai) | The clause describes an active, ongoing power that transforms believers. All agree that this power is divine and supernatural. | Barnes notes that the Greek pronoun hos could grammatically refer to either 'truth' or 'God.' Most commentators (Vincent, Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) take it as referring to the word of God. The debate does not affect the core message: God’s truth is the agent of transformation. |
| Role of human agency in transmitting God's word | Paul’s preaching was the human channel, but the message originated from God. Christians across traditions affirm that Scripture is divinely inspired. | Protestant traditions use this verse to stress the sufficiency of Scripture over church tradition. Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions note that apostolic preaching (oral tradition) is also God’s word. The verse is cited by both sides in discussions of the relationship between Scripture and tradition. |
| Nature of Paul's thanksgiving | Paul thanks God 'without ceasing' for the Thessalonians’ faith. Thanksgiving is a model for pastoral prayer. | Some (Lange, Cambridge Bible) connect this thanksgiving to the mutual encouragement between Paul and the church. Others (Barnes) focus on thanksgiving as a response to God’s grace in their reception. Both views are complementary. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians around AD 50, 51, only months after founding their church during his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1, 9). The city was a bustling port in Macedonia, home to a Jewish synagogue but primarily Gentile. Paul’s preaching there met swift opposition: jealous Jews stirred up a mob, forcing him to leave abruptly. Yet the new believers held fast, enduring “sufferings” from their own countrymen (1 Thess 2:14).
This verse sits within a larger defense of Paul’s ministry. In 1 Thess 2:1, 12, he reminds them that he and his companions behaved with purity, not flattery or greed, working “night and day” to avoid being a burden (v. 9). Now he turns to the Thessalonians’ response. The phrase “word of the message” (literally “word of hearing”) echoes a Hebrew idiom common in the Old Testament (cf. Jer 23:28), a report that demands a decision. In an oral culture, the spoken word carried enormous weight. Paul’s stress that they “received from us the word of the message of God” underscores that the message came through human lips but originated in God. The Greek preposition par' (from) attaches to “hearing,” not to “received”: they heard the message from us, but its source is divine.
Paul’s constant thanksgiving (adialeiptōs) reveals his pastoral heart. He does not credit his own eloquence; he thanks God for their spiritual perception. The Thessalonians faced pressure to dismiss the gospel as a novelty or human fabrication. Their refusal to do so, accepting it “as it is in truth, God’s word”, became the foundation of their endurance.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 1 Thessalonians 2:13. The Greek text is well established. The phrase “word of the message of God” (λόγον ἀκοῆς παρ’ ἡμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ) is stable across manuscripts. A minor variation in word order (some witnesses place παραλαβόντες later) does not affect meaning. The main interpretive question concerns the distinction between the two verbs for “receive” and the antecedent of “which,” but these are matters of grammar and context, not textual criticism.
Reception History
This verse has been a touchstone for discussions about the nature of biblical authority. Early church fathers such as John Chrysostom used it to argue that the apostles spoke with divine authority, not their own. During the Reformation, Calvin cited 1 Thessalonians 2:13 to defend the principle that faith rests on God’s word, not human tradition. He stressed that the Thessalonians’ willingness to receive the word as God’s is the pattern for all believers. In evangelical and Pentecostal traditions, the phrase “effectually worketh in you that believe” has been mined to support the ongoing, transformative power of Scripture in sanctification. The verse also appears in hymns that celebrate the Bible as “God’s word of truth.” Catholic commentators have read it as affirming that apostolic preaching carries divine authority, while Protestant exegetes emphasize the personal discernment of divine origin. Across traditions, this verse consoles believers who feel the weight of hearing God’s word through fallible preachers, assuring them that the power resides in the message itself.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The human channel carries a divine message. Paul calls the gospel “the word of the message of God.” Though delivered by fallible men, its origin is God himself. The preacher is a vessel, not the source.
- True faith welcomes the word as God’s, not man’s. The Thessalonians “accepted” (edexasthē) the word, the verb means to welcome with open arms. This is more than intellectual assent: it is trust that the message carries God’s authority.
- God’s word works actively in those who believe. The middle voice of energeitai suggests an ongoing, internal power. The word does not simply inform; it transforms, producing patience, holiness, and love even under persecution.
Five-point outline
- Thanksgiving for the Spirit’s work in the hearers.
- The gospel is “the word of hearing from us”, both human delivery and divine origin.
- Discernment: distinguishing God’s word from human opinion by its truthfulness, power, and fruit.
- The word “works”, an ongoing, supernatural activity that produces visible change.
- Belief is the condition for the word’s efficacy; it operates “in you who believe.”
Illustration hooks
- A signed letter vs a published decree: Paul’s preaching was like a messenger reading aloud a king’s decree. The honor belongs to the king, not the messenger. The Thessalonians responded to the authority behind the voice.
- Wheat and straw (Jer 23:28): God’s word has weight and substance; human speculation is hollow. The Thessalonians recognized the weight.
- A seed planted in good soil: The word “works” like a seed that continuously grows, producing fruit even in drought (persecution). The growth is God’s doing, not the farmer’s.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I know whether a sermon is from God or just human opinion? This verse suggests the test is not the speaker’s charisma but the word’s power to change you and its consistency with Scripture.
- I’ve heard the gospel many times, why doesn’t it “work” in me? The word operates in you who believe. The question is not about the word’s power but about the posture of faith.
- Why should I thank God for my own faith? Paul thanks God for their reception, not their intelligence. Faith itself is a gift; thanksgiving keeps us humble.
Leading a Discussion
Paul pauses his defense of his ministry to thank God for how the Thessalonians received the gospel. Their faith was not merely intellectual agreement, it was a warm embrace of the message as God’s own word, and that word then began to work in them with transforming power. This passage challenges us to examine how we listen to Scripture and whether we truly receive it as divine rather than human.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Thessalonians 2:13. Why does Paul thank God before even describing the Thessalonians’ faith? What does this tell us about his view of spiritual growth?
- The Greek uses two different verbs for “received” and “accepted.” The first means to take in a message; the second means to welcome it heartily. What is the difference between hearing the gospel and truly accepting it? Share an example from your own experience.
- How can a person tell whether they treat the Bible as “the word of men” or as “the word of God”? What practical signs distinguish the two?
- Paul says the word “works” in those who believe. What kind of work does the word do? Look at the surrounding verses (1 Thess 2:14, 16) for clues about how this work showed up in the Thessalonians’ lives.
- Verse 13 ends with “you who believe.” Is faith a condition for the word’s power, or a result of it? How does this verse answer that question?
- Paul thanks God “without ceasing.” How can constant gratitude for the faith of others shape a church’s culture? How might it protect against jealousy or comparison?
- This passage implies that the same message can be heard as a human speech or as God’s word. What factors (attitude, prayer, community, previous experience) help a person receive it as divine?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Jeremiah 23:28 | The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat?” says Yahweh. |
| Jeremiah 23:29 | “Isn’t my word like fire?” says Yahweh; “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? |
| Jeremiah 44:16 | “As for the word that you have spoken to us in Yahweh’s name, we will not listen to you. |
| Matthew 10:13 | If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you. |
| Matthew 10:14 | Whoever doesn’t receive you or hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. |
| Matthew 10:20 | For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. |
| Matthew 10:40 | “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. |
| Luke 5:1 | Now while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that faith must be rooted in the conviction that the gospel is God's own word, not human teaching. Only such faith, received as divine revelation rather than through persuasion or personal loyalty, proves strong enough to endure persecution and trials. This divine truth actively works in those who believe.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge note draws a sharp distinction between two Greek verbs Paul uses for "receive." The first means merely hearing a message, while the second means welcoming it heartily, like receiving a guest. The Thessalonians did not just hear the apostles' words; they embraced them as God's own voice, and that word remains active in those who keep believing.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes stress that the Thessalonians did not treat Paul’s preaching as merely human teaching but recognized it as God’s own word. This reception as divine, not human, is what allows the word to actively work in those who believe, producing its intended effect.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that the Thessalonians received the gospel as God's own word, not mere human teaching, because they saw its divine character and authority. This recognition came from the word's powerful effect in them: it worked effectively in believers, proving its origin.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights a key distinction in the Greek: the Thessalonians not only heard the word but warmly welcomed it as God's own message, not a human one. He also sees Paul's thanks as evidence that faith itself is a work of divine grace, and that the word actively transforms believers' lives through endurance in trials.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that the Thessalonians rightly discerned the apostles' message as God's own word rather than human opinion. He warns that ministers who substitute their own fancies for divine revelation commit the worst kind of imposition, since the gospel's power depends entirely on its divine origin.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent clarifies a grammatical point: the phrase "the word of the message from us" is a single unit, not a separate "from us." Paul adds "of God" to prevent any impression that the word originates with human messengers. The word itself actively works, not God, a rare middle voice Paul uses for superhuman power.