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2 Thessalonians Chapter 3

2 Thessalonians Chapter 3

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
A Prayer Request
  1. Finally brothers, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord might spread quickly and be glorified, just as it also was with you,
  2. and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked men, for not all are of the faith.
  3. But the Lord is faithful, who will strengthen you and keep you from the evil one.
  4. And we are *confident in the Lord concerning you, that you both are doing and will do the things we command.
  5. And may the Lord direct your hearts into the ^love of God and into the patient endurance of the Anointed.
Those who walk improperly
  1. Now brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, we command you to withdraw yourselves from every brother walking improperlyfn“improperly” This Greek word refers to living one’s life in a manner that’s disorderly or unruly in the sense of being insubordinate or rebellious.  i.e. living life outside of God’s appointed order and guidelines.  It comes from a military term which means to step out of rank. and not according to the tradition that you received from us.
  2. For you yourselves *know how it’s necessary to imitate us, because we didn’t behave improperlyfn“behave improperly” see note on previous verse. among you.
  3. Nor did we eat bread from anyone without payment, but in laborious toil and wearisome labor we were working day and night in order not to burden any of you.
  4. Not that we don’t have a right, but we did this so we might offer ourselves as an example to you, for you to imitate us.
  5. For even when we were with you, we were commanding this to you: that if anyone isn’t willing to work, let him not eat either.fnquotation/allusion to Proverbs 20:4.  Some say Genesis 3:19 as well, and they often consider verse 8 a reference to Genesis 3:19 as well.
  6. For we hear that some among you are walking improperly, working at nothing but being busybodies.fn“being busybodies” is one word in Greek.  It refers to those who “waste their labor” by attending to other people’s business, or by working at trifling/useless matters instead of what’s important.
  7. Now, we command and admonish such men by the Anointed Lord Jesus, so that working in a tranquil life,fn“a tranquil life” is one word in Greek.  It refers to those who aren’t “running hither and thither” (Thayer’s) but instead are restful and mind their own business. they may eat their own bread.
  8. And brothers, you shouldn’t grow weary of doing good.
  9. But if anyone doesn’t obey our word by letter, take note of this man; don’t socialize with him so he might turn from his ways in shame.fn“he might turn from his ways in shame” is one word in Greek.  It means to turn from something in shame, with the idea of rethinking what they have been doing because of the shame.
  10. Yet don’t think of him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Closing
  1. Now, may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace in every way through everything.  The Lord be with you all.
  2. This greeting is in my hand – Paul, which is my mark of authenticity in every letter, I write in this manner.
  3. The grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed be with all of you.  [Amen]

 

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