II Thessalonians 2:15 · Bible study
2 Thessalonians 2:15 Commentary: Apostolic Traditions by Word or Letter
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exegetical study of Paul's command to hold fast traditions taught by word or letter, exploring the debate over oral vs. written apostolic authority.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul commands believers to stand firm and cling to the apostolic teaching they received, whether orally or in writing.
- Key words: 'Hold fast' (κρατεῖτε), present imperative, 'keep grasping'; 'traditions' (παραδόσεις), things handed over from an authoritative source.
- Main debate: Whether these traditions refer exclusively to the apostolic deposit now in Scripture, or whether the phrase allows for ongoing oral tradition separate from the biblical canon.
- Theological theme: The sufficiency and authority of apostolic revelation as the church's anchor against false teaching.
- Best use: Grounding believers in the written Word while acknowledging that the same apostles once taught orally, both channels bear the same divine authority.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Therefore, brothers, stand firm and cling to the traditions we taught you, whether by speech or by letter.
WEB World English Bible 2000
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter.
KJV King James Version 1769
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
so, then, brethren, stand ye fast, and hold the deliverances that ye were taught, whether through word, whether through our letter;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God and our Father, who hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope in grace,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Así que, hermanos, estad firmes, y retened la doctrina que habéis aprendido, sea por palabra, ó por carta nuestra.
Portanto, irmãos, ficai firmes, e retende as tradições que vos foram ensinadas, seja por palavra, seja por carta nossa.
Ainsi donc, frères, demeurez fermes, et retenez les instructions que vous avez reçues, soit par notre parole, soit par notre lettre.
So stehet nun, liebe Brüder, und haltet an den Satzungen, in denen ihr gelehrt seid, es sei durch unser Wort oder Brief.
Zo dan, broeders, staat vast en houdt de inzettingen, die u geleerd zijn, hetzij door ons woord, hetzij door onzen zendbrief.
Così dunque, fratelli, state saldi e ritenete gli insegnamenti che vi abbiam trasmessi sia con la parola, sia con una nostra epistola.
Przetoż, bracia! stójcie, a trzymajcie się nauki podanej, którejście się nauczyli lub przez mowę, lub przez list nasz.
Итак, братия, стойте и держите предания, которым вы научены или словом или посланием нашим.
所以，弟兄們，你們要站立得穩，凡所 領受的教訓，不拘 是我們 口 傳的，是 信上寫的，都要 堅守。
So then, brothers, be strong in purpose, and keep the teaching which has been given to you by word or by letter from us.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Thessalonians 2:15
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 command to hold fast the 'traditions' (παραδόσεις) refers to the apostolic teaching he and his companions delivered to the Thessalonians. As Vincent notes, the word emphasizes an external authority, something handed over (παραδίδωμι) from a teacher who is himself a messenger. The apostle refers to the content they received from him, whether in person or by letter, not to a separate stream of unwritten tradition.
Yet sharp disagreement exists over the implications. Barnes, Gill, and JFB insist the context, especially the warning against forged letters (2:2), restricts these traditions to the apostolic deposit now contained in Scripture. Clarke goes further, arguing the passage cannot support later church traditions that are 'unapostolical.' The Cambridge Bible agrees: there is 'no suggestion of the Romanist idea of Tradition.' Still, historic Catholic teaching reads the phrase 'whether by word' as acknowledging a living oral transmission alongside the written Word. Calvin himself, while rejecting human traditions, interprets παραδόσεις more broadly to include 'all doctrine', though he grounds it in Paul's own instruction.
What unites these readings is the conviction that apostolic authority, not later invention, is the object of Paul's exhortation. The debate turns on whether that authority remains accessible outside the New Testament writings.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Apostolic deposit only: Context of forged letters (2:2), the parallel in 1 Corinthians 11:2, and the later use of 'tradition' in a negative sense (Mark 7:8). The 'traditions' are limited to what Paul himself taught and wrote.
- Living oral tradition: 'Whether by word' recognizes that not all apostolic instruction was written; the Church is the custodian of a continuing oral transmission. Referenced in 2 Thessalonians 3:6 and early patristic appeals to tradition.
What is clear: Both readings affirm that the apostolic teaching — however transmitted — is authoritative and must be held fast as the standard for faith and life.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'traditions' (παραδόσεις) | All sides agree Paul refers to apostolic teaching, the gospel and ethical instruction, delivered to the Thessalonians by himself and his companions. | Protestant commentators (Barnes, Gill, JFB) see this as the apostolic deposit now contained in the New Testament; Catholic tradition reads it as including a living oral transmission that continues in the Church's teaching office. |
| The phrase 'whether by word or by letter' | Both phrases refer to legitimate channels of Paul's own apostolic instruction, his spoken preaching and his written epistles. | Some argue 'by word' is limited to what Paul himself said while present; others see it as opening the door to oral tradition handed down from the apostles through their successors. |
| Application to later church tradition | The verse demands that believers hold fast to what the apostles actually taught, not to human inventions. | Protestants often cite this verse to reject traditions not found in Scripture; Catholics and some Orthodox cite it to support the authority of apostolic tradition interpreted by the Church. |
| Present imperative force | Both 'stand firm' (στήκετε) and 'hold fast' (κρατεῖτε) are present tense, implying ongoing, continuous action, not a one-time decision. | No significant debate; all grammatical sources agree on this continuous aspect. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians from Corinth, likely AD 50, 51, within months of his first letter. He and Silas and Timothy had founded the Thessalonian church during a short but intense mission (Acts 17:1, 9). After Jewish opponents drove him out, he left a young congregation rooted in his oral teaching, a 'word' that included doctrine, ethics, and eschatology.
But something shook them. A forged letter, purporting to be from Paul, claimed the Day of the Lord had already arrived (2:2). This is the crisis our verse addresses. The Thessalonians had been taught that Christ's return would be preceded by a rebellion and the revealing of the 'man of lawlessness' (2:3). Now false teachers, possibly claiming a prophetic 'spirit' or a counterfeit 'letter,' were unsettling them.
Paul's opening words, 'So then' (Ἄρα οὖν), tie the exhortation directly to the preceding argument. In verses 13, 14 he reminded them of God's choice and calling. Because they were chosen for salvation and called through the gospel, they were to stand firm (στήκετε, a present imperative, 'keep standing firm'). The verb κρατεῖτε ('hold fast') also is present imperative, urging continuous, active clinging. The phrase 'whether by word or by letter' reflects the two channels Paul himself had used: his oral instruction during the founding visit and his earlier epistle (1 Thessalonians).
In the ancient world, 'tradition' (παράδοσις) was a neutral term for anything handed on, good or bad. Jesus rebuked human traditions that nullified God's commands (Mark 7:8, 9). Paul elsewhere commends traditions he delivered (1 Corinthians 11:2) and condemns false teachings touted as tradition (Colossians 2:8). For the Thessalonians, the issue was simple: a forged letter had arrived claiming Paul's authority. His response: measure every claim against what you actually heard from me and read in my letter. This is not a blanket endorsement of all tradition, but a call to discern through the apostolic standard.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for II Thessalonians 2:15. The reading is stable across manuscripts. The phrase 'our epistle' (ἐπιστολῆς ἡμῶν) appears in the majority of witnesses, with minor variations in word order not affecting meaning.
Reception History
This verse became a flashpoint in the Reformation debates over the authority of Scripture versus tradition. Protestant reformers such as Luther and Calvin used it to argue that the apostolic 'traditions' were the New Testament writings themselves, not a separate stream of unwritten dogma. The Council of Trent (1545, 1563), in contrast, cited passages like this to affirm that divine revelation is contained 'in the written books and the unwritten traditions' received from Christ and the apostles.
Earlier church fathers, including Irenaeus and Tertullian, appealed to a similar concept of apostolic tradition but did not sharply distinguish oral and written, they saw the Church's rule of faith as transmitted through both the Scriptures and the living teaching of apostolic succession. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the verse is often read as pointing to the full life of apostolic teaching, liturgy, and practice preserved in the Church. Modern evangelical scholarship, following Barnes and JFB, typically stresses that the traditions here are the apostle's own instruction, not a separate source of revelation.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Stand firm in God's calling. The imperative grows from the indicative: because God chose and called you (vv.13, 14), you can stand. Perseverance is not self-generated; it rests on God's work. Calvin notes that 'the calling of God ought to fortify us against all occasions of offense.'
- Hold fast to the apostolic deposit. The 'traditions' are the truths the apostles handed over, the gospel, the commands, the hope. These are not negotiable. Paul had earlier praised the Corinthians for holding the traditions as he delivered them (1 Corinthians 11:2).
- Test every teaching against that standard. The Thessalonians had received Paul's teaching 'by word or by letter.' Any spirit, message, or letter that contradicted it was to be rejected (2:2). The canon of apostolic teaching is the church's anchor.
Five-point outline
- Introduction: The crisis, a forged letter and shaken faith (2:2).
- The ground for standing: God's electing love and call (2:13, 14).
- The command to stand: 'Stand firm' (στήκετε), a posture of stability amid confusion.
- The concrete action: 'Hold fast the traditions', cling to what you were taught.
- The channel: 'Whether by word or by letter', both oral and written apostolic teaching carry the same authority.
Illustration hooks
- A forged signature. Someone receives a letter that looks like it came from a trusted friend, but it asks for something the friend would never request. You check the signature, you call the friend, you compare it to what you already know. The Thessalonians had Paul's real teaching; the forgery failed the test.
- A lifeline in a current. A swimmer caught in a rip current fights the instinct to panic. The instruction is to float and swim parallel to the shore. The one who lets go of that training is pulled out to sea. Paul's 'traditions' are the training that keeps the church from being swept away by every false tide.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know which church traditions are apostolic and which are human inventions?
- Does 'stand firm' mean I should never change my views, or is growth allowed?
- If Paul's teaching is now in the Bible, does 'by word' still matter for us today?
Leading a Discussion
Paul was writing to people who had received his teaching firsthand and had a written letter to check it against. What happens when we no longer have the apostles speaking to us in person? This passage raises that question directly. Use the questions below to help your group explore what it means to hold fast without having Paul at the door.
Discussion questions
- Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2 aloud. What was the specific problem Paul was addressing before he gave the command in verse 15?
- The word 'traditions' (παραδόσεις) means things delivered or handed over. What kinds of things do you think Paul included in that word, just doctrine, or also practices?
- Paul says these traditions came 'by word or by letter.' Why do you think he specified both? What does that imply about how the early church transmitted truth?
- Barnes wrote that Paul's command cannot be used to support later church traditions not found in the apostles' teaching. Others argue that 'by word' leaves room for oral tradition alongside Scripture. How would you describe the difference between these views?
- Look at 1 Corinthians 11:2 and 2 Thessalonians 3:6. What do these other uses of 'traditions' tell us about how Paul expected the churches to treat his teaching?
- In your own words: What would it look like for a Christian today to 'stand firm' and 'hold fast' to apostolic teaching, given that we only have the New Testament writings?
- How can we hold fast without becoming closed-minded? Where is the line between conviction and stubbornness?
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)
| Romans 16:17 | Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. |
| I Corinthians 11:2 | Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you. |
| I Corinthians 15:58 | Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. |
| I Corinthians 16:13 | Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong! |
| Philippians 4:1 | Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. |
| II Thessalonians 2:2 | not to be quickly shaken in your mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come. |
| II Thessalonians 3:6 | Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion and not after the tradition which they received from us. |
| II Thessalonians 3:14 | If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man and have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that eternal glory depended on the Thessalonians' faithfulness at each stage; calling, faith, sanctification and glorification were not automatic steps but interdependent stages where they could have halted. He also insists the traditions they must hold are only those delivered by inspired apostles, rejecting any use of this verse to support later church traditions not found in Scripture.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists that Paul's command to hold the traditions refers only to what the apostle himself taught them directly, either in person or by letter. He flatly rejects using this verse to authorize later church traditions, arguing there is no evidence they came from the apostles and that the written word contains all that is necessary for salvation.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the "traditions" Paul commands believers to hold are not merely external church customs but the entire body of sound doctrine they received. This teaching is the very ground of stable faith, fortified by the assurance of God's grace so that nothing, not even the world's collapse, can shake it.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Standing fast here means holding firm through the Lord's delayed return and the secret work of Antichrist, with hope as the motive. The "traditions" are not church tradition apart from Scripture but the apostolic teaching Paul delivered, whether by spoken word or letter, covering both doctrine and moral commands.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Therefore, brethren, stand fast and keepe the instructions, which ye haue bene taught, either by worde, or by our Epistle.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the traditions Paul commands believers to hold are not human inventions but the gospel truths, ordinances, and rules delivered by the apostles from Christ himself. These were taught both by word of mouth and by letter, forming a fixed rule of faith and practice. He rejects any support for unwritten papal traditions from this verse.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB argues that the only valid tradition is the apostles' inspired teaching, now fully preserved in Scripture. All other oral traditions claiming equal authority are human inventions that undermine God's Word. He warns that reliance on such extra-biblical traditions leads to the very anti-Christian error it claims to oppose.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent stresses that biblical tradition is not narrowly about written versus oral sources. The core meaning is that a teacher hands over a message received from an external authority, not his own ideas. The emphasis falls on the teacher's role as a conduit, not an originator.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that holding the traditions means preserving the apostolic truths exactly as delivered, without adding or removing anything. He notes that Paul's teaching came through two channels: his spoken preaching and his written letters, and that the letter itself refers back to what he had previously taught orally.