1 Thessalonians 1:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

NIV: And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

NASB: so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

CSB: As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

NLT: As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece — throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.

KJV: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

NKJV: so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

The Christians at Thessalonica lived such exemplary lives that they set the standard for believers in other parts of Macedonia. This was despite their persecution and the challenges they faced. Their transformed lives also set the standard for the believers in Achaia, the neighboring province to the south. This echoes a theme common in Paul's instructions, as shown in his letters.

A transformed life is the norm for all who believe in Jesus as their Savior, as well as the ability to find joy, even in the midst of affliction. Writing to the Corinthians, Paul declared. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul similarly explained, to the Colossian Christians, that the Christian life involves even a new way of thinking. He exhorted: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1–2).

The Christian life includes not only a transformed thought life but also transformed speech. Paul also exhorted the Colossian believers to put away "anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth" (Colossians 3:8). In Colossians 4:6 Paul added a positive instruction about a transformed believer's speech. He exhorted: "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

First Thessalonians 1:4–10 expresses Paul's confidence in the fact that God had saved his readers. He presents convincing evidence that they belong to God. He recalls how they had responded when they first heard the gospel, what kind of individuals they had become as a result of believing the gospel, and how effectively they had spread the gospel. He sums up their experience as having left paganism behind to serve God and to look forward to Jesus' return.

First Thessalonians 1 records the apostle Paul's greetings to the Christians at Thessalonica. Thessalonica was the second city Paul preached in, after receiving a call to present the gospel in Macedonia. Philippi was the first city in Europe to receive the gospel from Paul. Both churches received a letter from Paul, but 1 Thessalonians, written around AD 51, was among the earliest of Paul's New Testament letters. In the first chapter, he expresses his gratitude for the Thessalonian believers' spiritual progress, and gives a brief background of what had happened during his visit to their city. He commends them for their spread of the gospel, their exemplary faith, and their turning from idols to serve the true God and to wait for Jesus' return.

The first chapter of 1 Thessalonians is mostly praise for these believers, from the apostle Paul. Paul is clearly delighted to hear that they have grown in their faith and begun to spread the gospel. Chapter two will continue reminding the Thessalonians about their prior experiences with Paul, and it includes more of his praise for their excellent efforts. Later chapters will address the questions lingering in the minds of these passionate Christians. Of particular interest, among these, are concerns related to the return of Christ. Paul will also address some areas where the church needs to improve, spiritually.

The apostle Paul's second missionary journey included a visit to the prominent Greek city of Thessalonica. This stood alongside a major land route and boasted a busy seaport. A number of individuals believed Paul's message (Acts 17:1–4), but an angry mob forced Paul to leave the city after his brief stay. Later, while in Athens, Paul received a glowing report: the believers at Thessalonica were growing spiritually and serving God fervently. However, they had questions about the Lord's return, including what happens to a believer who dies before that day. And, as all churches do, they had some areas in which they were falling short. In Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, written about AD 51, he addresses these developments. Paul expresses gratitude for the Thessalonian believers' spiritual progress, and frequently makes references to Christ's impending return.