1 Thessalonians 3:12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

In these words we have the earnest prayer of the apostle. He desired to be instrumental in the further benefit of the Thessalonians; and the only way to be so while at a distance was by prayer for them, together with his writing or sending to them. He desired that their faith might be perfected, which he could not be the proper cause or author of; for he pretended not to dominion over their faith, nor to have the donation of it, and he therefore concludes with prayer for them. Observe, I. Whom... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

3:11-13 May he who is our God and Father and the Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to you. May the Lord increase you and make you to abound in love to each other and to all men, even as we do towards you, in order that he may strengthen your hearts so that you may be blameless in holiness before the God who is our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. It is in a simple passage like this that the instinctive turn of Paul's mind is best seen. For him everything was of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:12

And the Lord make you to increase ,.... That is, the Lord the Spirit; so that the object of prayer, addressed by the apostle, is Father, Son, and Spirit, as in Revelation 1:4 . The Alexandrian copy reads "God". The Spirit is God, equally with the Father and the Son, and so a fit object of prayer with them, which otherwise he would not be. The request is, that he would cause these saints to increase in number, as the first churches greatly did: and in the gifts of the Spirit, which he... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Thessalonians 3:12

Make you to increase and abound in love - They had already love to each other, so as to unite them in one Christian body; and he prays that they may have an increase and an abundance of it; that they might feel the same love to each other which he felt for them all. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Thessalonians 3:12

Verse 12 12And the Lord fill you. Here we have another prayer — that in the mean time, while his way is obstructed, the Lord, during his absence, may confirm the Thessalonians in holiness, and fill them with love. And from this again we learn in what the perfection of the Christian life consists — in love and pure holiness of heart, flowing from faith. He recommends love mutually cherished towards each other, and afterwards towards all, for as it is befitting that a commencement should be made... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

I. PAUL ALONE AT ATHENS . "Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone." There is continued the use of the plural; but it is to be regarded as corrected by the use of the singular in the fifth verse. The correction relates to the mission of Timothy, which is to be understood as covering Paul's being left behind at Athens. For want of full materials it is difficult to understand the bearing of what is said in the Acts of the Apostles... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 3:12

And the Lord. By some referred to the First Person of the blessed Trinity, God our Father (Alford); by others to the Holy Ghost, as the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are afterwards both mentioned in the prayer; but it is to be referred, according to the prevailing usage in Paul's Epistle, to the Lord Jesus Christ. Make you ; literally, you may the Lord make, putting the emphasis on" you." To increase and abound in love one toward another; toward your fellow-Christians. And toward... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Thessalonians 3:12

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love - compare notes, 2 Corinthians 9:8. The word “Lord” here probably refers to the Lord Jesus, as this is the name by which he is commonly designated in the New Testament; see the notes on Acts 1:24. If this be so, then this is a petition to the Lord Jesus as the fountain of all grace and goodness. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13. What thanks can we render to God That is, what sufficient thanks; for you On account of your perseverance; for all the joy That I have thereby such unfeigned cause of rejoicing; so that the apostle’s joy respecting the Thessalonians, arose first from their conversion, and next, from their steady adherence to the faith and profession of the gospel amidst great temptation and persecution; before, or, in the presence of, our God As εμπροσθεν του Θεου ημων... read more

Group of Brands