1 Thessalonians
Day 1: Background
Read Acts 16-17:15 to understand how the church in Thessalonica was
established.
Paul visited Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. Paul had seen a vision of a man
from Macedonia asking them to come and help them. Sensing this was God's call, Paul,
Silas and Timothy headed to Philippi and the persecution began! I think this is a great
example that being in God's will does not guarantee an easy road. Paul and Silas were
beaten and thrown in prison, but in the midst of the difficulty, the Philippian jailer came to
Christ. From Philippi, they headed to Thessalonica where many Jews and Gentiles believed
the gospel message. However, some Jews became jealous and stirred up opposition against
Paul and his companions. So the believers sent Paul, Silas and Timothy to Berea where the
gospel again bore fruit. The Jews in Thessalonica heard what was happening in Berea and
they followed them there to continue the persecution. From Berea, Paul headed on to
Athens and then Corinth, where he stayed for about a year and a half. But the church at
Thessalonica was heavy on his heart. Were they standing strong in the midst of
persecution? So around 51 A.D., while still in Corinth, Paul wrote his first letter to the
Thessalonians.
Day 2
Read chapter 1 and note everything you learn about Paul and his
companions in the verses below.
v. 2
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v. 5
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Read chapter 2 and continue noting what you learn about Paul, the author of
this letter.
v. 1
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v. 2
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v. 3
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v. 4
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v. 5
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v. 6
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v. 7
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v. 8
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v. 9
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v. 10
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v. 11-12
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v. 13
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v. 17
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v. 18
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Read chapter 3 and continue noting what you learn about Paul.
v. 1-2
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v. 4
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v. 5
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v. 7
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v. 8-9
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v. 10
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v. 11
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v. 12
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Read chapter 4 and continue noting what you learn of Paul.
v. 1-2
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What did you learn about how Paul interacted with these believers? What
examples do you see that are worth imitating?
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Day 3
Read chapter 1 and note what you learn about the recipients of this letter.
v. 3
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v. 4
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v. 6
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v. 7
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v. 8
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v. 9
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Read chapter 2 and note what you learn about the recipients.
v. 13
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v. 14
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Read chapter 3 and continue noting what you learn about the recipients.
v. 6
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v. 7
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Read chapter 4 and note what else you learn about the recipients.
v. 1
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What are these believers known for? For what does Paul commend
them?
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What concerns did Paul have for them?
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Based on the verses you read, what does God choose people for?
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Now let's go back to 1 Thessalonians. Verse 4 says that God chose
them, but we need to read the context to find out what they
specifically were chosen for. Read verses 4-10 and note what the
text says the Thessalonians were chosen for.
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Describe how the gospel came to the Thessalonians from verse 5.
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The gospel is not mere words, and is not like any other story. Romans 1:16
tells us that the gospel is the very power of God. It doesn't contain the
power of God, it IS the power of God. That is why when Paul spoke of the
gospel, it was in the power of the Holy Spirit and with conviction, because
Paul had seen it radically transform lives, including his own.
Aside from just telling the good news of the gospel, what is also
important in our presentation from verse 5?
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Our words and the way we live must match up with the gospel. When our
lives back up what we say, lives can be radically changed, as was the case
with the Thessalonians. Tomorrow we will look at that transformation and
their testimony more closely.
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1 Thessalonians 2
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From verse 3, Paul says the message of the gospel is not based on three
things. Read the following verses that confirm Paul's statement.
Not based on error: See 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10. Where do error and
truth come from and what are the results of believing either one?
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Not based on impurity (unclean or sinful living): See 1 Thessalonians
4:7. What is God's purpose for those who believe the gospel?
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Not based on trying to deceive: See 2 Corinthians 4:2. Explain what Paul
avoided in sharing the gospel.
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According to verse 4, who was Paul accountable to in his
presentation of the gospel?
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Two words stand out in this verse: approved and entrusted. Look them up
in the Greek to get a better understanding of what they mean.
Approved:
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Entrusted:
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Because Paul had been approved by God and entrusted to share the
gospel as His ambassador, what did Paul seek to do in verse 4?
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Wow, this is such an important point! So many times it seems people are
driven by being able to give a report of how many salvation decisions there
were. We may worry that if we have no good results to show, people will
think we are doing something wrong or doing nothing at all. Often the
temptation to impress people with the results of "our" ministry is what drives
us. Paul lived his life for an audience of One: the One who had saved him
and knew his heart. May we learn to care more about what pleases God
than what pleases other people!
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Paul says he did not come pretending to want to minister to them when his
motivation was really for money or for the Thessalonians to support him.
Again, his motives were pure and sincere.
How does Paul say he knows this is true?
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A witness is someone who testifies to what he has seen. God could look at
Paul's heart and testify that what Paul was saying was true.
In verse 6, Paul also says he did not seek glory from people. This ties back
in with verse 4. Because Paul was living to please God, he wasn't concerned
with getting praise or honor from men.
Lastly in verse 6, Paul says he did not use his position as an apostle to make
demands on the Thessalonians.
Instead of being demanding, what analogy does he use in verse 7 to
show how he did treat them?
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Think about a nursing mother for a minute. What words would you
use to describe how a nursing mother treats her baby?
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In verse 8, Paul says he was affectionately desirous of the Thessalonians.
This means "to experience a yearning affection for someoneto have a
great affection for, to have a yearning love for."
This is how Paul really felt about these people. Because he felt this
deep love and affection for them, what was the result in verse 8?
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Our service to God and to others flows from our heart. May God give us this
type of love for the people that we minister to and serve. Often times we
get tired and people can seem like a burden or a bother, but motivated by
the love and power of the Holy Spirit, God's love will flow out of us and into
those around us.
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martyr. It is interesting that many in the early church who gave witness
about Jesus ended up as martyrs. This word charge means "to be emphatic
in stating an opinion or desireto insist."
So Paul is begging them, encouraging them and insisting that they
do what?
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Many times in the epistles Paul exhorts people to walk worthy of the Lord.
(Phil. 1:27, Col.1:10, Eph. 4:1). Worthy means "pertaining to having a
relatively high degree of comparable merit, worth or value." It was a word
used in weighing things on a scale. If an item was of "equal weight or
value," it would be worth a certain amount. Think about this in terms of our
conduct. Our actions and the way we live should be of equal value to who
Jesus is. We could say that our lives should "measure up" and accurately
portray the worth of Christ!
What is our motivation to live in this way? What has God done for us
in verse 12?
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To call means simply "to issue a summons or to invite." God has
invited us to come into his kingdom and enjoy the glory of who He is.
How would you conduct yourself if the President or King of a country
invited you to live in his house?
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In the same way, because God has invited us to himself, our lives should be
lived in a way that showcase the matchless worth of Christ. Our lives should
be an outflow of all that Christ has done for us in inviting us to Himself.
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The way we live our lives now makes a difference for eternity! We will either
be joyful and be able to boast in the Lord, or we will suffer the loss of a
reward because we have squandered the time God has given us by living for
ourselves.
Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. After reading these verses, answer the
following questions.
1.
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1 Thessalonians 3
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Paul says he is praying for them night and day. The danger was real! Paul
was storming the gates of heaven on behalf of these believers because he
wants to see them continue to be strengthened in their faith.
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1 Thessalonians 4
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This was a topic they did not know much about. Read 1 Corinthians
15:51-53. Here Paul refers to it as a mystery, something that had
not been revealed in earlier times. Record what you learn about the
Rapture in these verses.
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Some in the church had fallen asleep, or died, maybe as a result of
persecution, and he wants them to know the truth so that in their grief, they
will still have hope!
In verse 14, what fact is true that makes what he is going to tell
them possible?
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What does he tell them about those who have died?
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In verse 15, how can they know that what Paul is telling them is
true?
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In verse 15, what does he say about those who are still alive when
Jesus returns?
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In verse 16, what will we hear when Jesus descends from heaven?
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What will happen first?
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What will happen next?
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What is the comforting truth Paul shares in verse 17?
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These verses are a huge comfort! How many times I have longed to be in
heaven with Jesus, especially when life is hard and painful. These believers
had experienced suffering as well. Knowing that one day all the sin, sadness
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and suffering will be over and we will be with the Lord forever brings us
great comfort and helps us to be faithful to the end!
Not only does it bring encouragement to our hearts, we are to encourage
"one another." This is something we should be talking about. We should be
reminding each other about the hope that we have so that we do not lose
heart.
What is the theme of chapter 4?
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1 Thessalonians 5
Zephaniah 1:14-18
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When will the Day of the Lord begin? Compare Joel 2:30-31 and
Revelation 6:12-17. Do they seem like the same event? The things
mentioned here happen before the Day of the Lord.
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Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. What else must happen before the day
of the Lord comes?
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Read 2 Peter 3:10-13. What will happen after the day of the Lord?
When will it end?
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So based on what you read, do you think "the day of the Lord" is the
same thing you read about at the end of chapter 4?
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So it appears that the day of the Lord is a period when Gods wrath will be
poured out against sin. It will start during the Tribulation after the man of
lawlessness, or the Antichrist is revealed. It seems the Day of the Lord
extends through the Millennium and the destruction of the heavens and the
earth.
Now back in Thessalonians, how does Paul say in verse 2 this day
will come?
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In verse 3, what will the attitude be of people before the Day of the
Lord comes?
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Paul uses the analogy of a woman in labor to make his point. First, like a
pregnant woman never knows when her labor will begin, so the Day of the
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Lord will also be unexpected. Also, a woman in labor goes through intense
pain and that will also be a characteristic of the Day of the Lord.
What will happen to those people?
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The verses you read in the Old Testament described the day of the
Lord as a day of darkness and gloom. What does Paul say about his
readers in verses 4-5?
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Based on this description, do you think believers will experience the
Day of the Lord?
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Paul has given us a glimpse into the future in these first five verses;
tomorrow we will see how we should live.
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Verse 9 seems to indicate the second view. What are all believers
saved from in this verse?
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Ten times in the book of Revelation, God's wrath is referred to in terms of
the Tribulation. It will certainly be a time when God unleashes his wrath
against sin. In chapter 1, verse 9 we are told that Jesus saves us from the
wrath to come. This one fact convinces me that believers will not go
through the Great Tribulation. If we were to suffer God's wrath during the
Tribulation, that would make God a liar because He has told us that Jesus
has saved us from God's wrath, and God can never go back on His Word!
What contrast do you see in verse 10?
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Because Jesus has saved us, what should our response be in verse
11?
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To build up means "to make more able or to strengthen." Given the
difficulties these believers were facing, this was a timely reminder.
What things so far has Paul talked about that would help them to be
encouraged and strengthened in their faith?
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How important it is to encourage others and build them up, to strengthen
them in their faith. Life is hard and we need encouragement. Who do you
know today that needs some encouragement?
When people are going through hard times, we often don't know what to say
to encourage them. Paul gives us some ideas here. Focusing on what Jesus
has done for us in saving us from the wrath that we deserve and looking
ahead to our future hope will give us strength to continue on in the here and
now and press on towards the future.
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In verse 14, urge means "to ask for earnestly, to plead." What four
things does Paul urge them to do in verse 14? These are not just
suggestions; these are important things we should be doing!
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Admonish means to warn through instruction. If they saw a fellow Christian
who was being idle or lazy and undisciplined, they were to warn them.
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12. This was written to the same group of
people. How exactly were they being idle?
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These verses give an even stronger exhortation. Here it says to stay away
from the idle person. Perhaps they had already been warned and rejected
the warning. Now Paul says to keep away from this type of person.
Why do you think Paul says to stay away from this type of person?
Read 1 Corinthians 15:33.
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When I first read these verses in 1 Thessalonians, I thought perhaps Paul
meant they were being spiritually lazy, but in 2 Thessalonians, we see they
were being physically lazy and not working, and I'm sure that did carry over
into their spiritual life, too. But this is something God takes very seriously.
Why do you think Paul takes such a strong position about the lazy
person?
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Next Paul urges us to encourage the fainthearted. Fainthearted means "to
be discouraged, to lose heart, to lack motivation to attain the goal." Life and
ministry is hard and these are people who want to give up and quit. Paul
urges us to come along side them and encourage them and cheer them on.
May we always be looking for ways to encourage those who are tired and
discouraged! Who might God want you to encourage today?
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Another group Paul mentions is the weak, those who are unable or have a
limited capacity to do something. Look up the following verses that explain
what a weak Christian looks like.
Romans 14:1-13
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1 Corinthians 8:7-13
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Weakness in the New Testament is often described as being weak in faith or
having a weak conscience. These people do not feel the liberty or freedom
to do certain things that God has deemed acceptable. The encouragement
to us is to help this type of person.
Read the above verses again and look for practical things we can do
to help this type of person. How should we treat them?
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Lastly Paul encourages us to be patient with them all. We are to be patient
with the idle, the fainthearted and the weak. These certainly are people that
it might be difficult to be patient with. Patient means "to be long-suffering
or to bear up under difficult circumstances or people." People do tend to try
our patience, especially if they struggle in an area that we do not. Instead
of getting frustrated with them, Paul urges us to bear patiently with them.
In verse 15, it is a given that evil will be done to us. Perhaps we hear that
someone has gossiped about us; perhaps they have broken our trust or
betrayed us. Maybe they have disappointed us, not lived up to our
expectations or hurt us deeply.
When this happens, what should be our response?
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Wow! This is hard! When we have been hurt or mistreated, it is natural to
want to respond in kind and hurt them back. Instead, we are commanded to
seek to do good to them! To seek means "to do something with intense
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Read the verses again and note what God's Word does for us.
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This is why we should not despise God's Word! It has the power to change
us, protect us, enlighten us and reward us. It is better than the most
valuable treasure and according to 2 Peter 1:4, through it, we become
partakers of the divine nature. Christ's character is seen in us as we read,
study and apply His Word.
In verse 21, we are told to test everything. Look up the definition of
test in the Greek.
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No matter who says it, or where we read it (even this Bible study), we must
examine it against God's Word to make sure it is true.
After we have tested it and it has been shown to be worthwhile,
what should we do?
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To hold fast means "to continue to believe and practice, to continue to
follow." May we always continue to believe and practice God's good Word!
What contrast from holding fast to good do we see in verse 22?
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To abstain means to avoid or keep from doing something. Evil comes in
many different forms and we are to avoid them all. The way we do this is by
holding fast to God's Word!
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Paul doesn't ask for anything in particular, but since these believers had such
a close friendship with Paul, I bet they knew how to pray for him.
In verse 26, the "holy kiss" mentioned so often in Paul's closing remarks,
would be the equivalent of our modern day hand shake. Notice they were to
greet all the believers like this, not just the ones they got along with.
In verse 27, Paul puts them "under oath". This means "to be certain that
one will carry out a request or command." Paul is asking them to make sure
this letter is read to all the believers. It was to be passed around and not
held on to for themselves. What a good admonition that is for us today!
May we be people who spread the Word around!
What is the last thing Paul encourages them with in verse 28?
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Read 2 Corinthians 9:8. What does Paul tell us about God's grace in
this verse?
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God's grace is with us at all times and is sufficient for all circumstances. His
grace is sufficient for any work he has called us to. May we be people who
live and experience God's abounding grace as we eagerly await his return!
What is the theme of chapter 5?
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What is the theme of the whole book?
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