1 Thessalonians 1:3

Authorized King James Version

PDF

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

Original Language Analysis

ἀδιαλείπτως without ceasing G89
ἀδιαλείπτως without ceasing
Strong's: G89
Word #: 1 of 28
uninterruptedly, i.e., without omission (on an appropriate occasion)
μνημονεύοντες Remembering G3421
μνημονεύοντες Remembering
Strong's: G3421
Word #: 2 of 28
to exercise memory, i.e., recollect; by implication, to punish; also to rehearse
ὑμῶν your G5216
ὑμῶν your
Strong's: G5216
Word #: 3 of 28
of (from or concerning) you
τοῦ G3588
τοῦ
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 4 of 28
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἔργου work G2041
ἔργου work
Strong's: G2041
Word #: 5 of 28
toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act
τῆς G3588
τῆς
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 6 of 28
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
πίστεως of faith G4102
πίστεως of faith
Strong's: G4102
Word #: 7 of 28
persuasion, i.e., credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of god or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon christ
καὶ and G2532
καὶ and
Strong's: G2532
Word #: 8 of 28
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
τοῦ G3588
τοῦ
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 9 of 28
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
κόπου labour G2873
κόπου labour
Strong's: G2873
Word #: 10 of 28
a cut, i.e., (by analogy) toil (as reducing the strength), literally or figuratively; by implication, pains
τῆς G3588
τῆς
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 11 of 28
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἀγάπης of love G26
ἀγάπης of love
Strong's: G26
Word #: 12 of 28
love, i.e., affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast
καὶ and G2532
καὶ and
Strong's: G2532
Word #: 13 of 28
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
τῆς G3588
τῆς
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 14 of 28
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ὑπομονῆς patience G5281
ὑπομονῆς patience
Strong's: G5281
Word #: 15 of 28
cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy
τῆς G3588
τῆς
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 16 of 28
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἐλπίδος of hope G1680
ἐλπίδος of hope
Strong's: G1680
Word #: 17 of 28
expectation (abstractly or concretely) or confidence
τοῦ G3588
τοῦ
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 18 of 28
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
κυρίου Lord G2962
κυρίου Lord
Strong's: G2962
Word #: 19 of 28
supreme in authority, i.e., (as noun) controller; by implication, master (as a respectful title)
ἡμῶν in our G2257
ἡμῶν in our
Strong's: G2257
Word #: 20 of 28
of (or from) us
Ἰησοῦ Jesus G2424
Ἰησοῦ Jesus
Strong's: G2424
Word #: 21 of 28
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
Χριστοῦ Christ G5547
Χριστοῦ Christ
Strong's: G5547
Word #: 22 of 28
anointed, i.e., the messiah, an epithet of jesus
ἔμπροσθεν in the sight G1715
ἔμπροσθεν in the sight
Strong's: G1715
Word #: 23 of 28
in front of (in place (literally or figuratively) or time)
τοῦ G3588
τοῦ
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 24 of 28
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
θεοῦ of God G2316
θεοῦ of God
Strong's: G2316
Word #: 25 of 28
a deity, especially (with g3588) the supreme divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; exceedingly (by hebraism)
καὶ and G2532
καὶ and
Strong's: G2532
Word #: 26 of 28
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
πατρὸς Father G3962
πατρὸς Father
Strong's: G3962
Word #: 27 of 28
a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote)
ἡμῶν in our G2257
ἡμῶν in our
Strong's: G2257
Word #: 28 of 28
of (or from) us

Analysis & Commentary

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ—this verse introduces Paul's 'faith-hope-love' triad (also 1 Cor 13:13; Col 1:4-5), here with distinctive emphases. Each virtue produces action: ergon tēs pisteōs (ἔργον τῆς πίστεως, 'work produced by faith'), kopos tēs agapēs (κόπος τῆς ἀγάπης, 'toil produced by love'), and hypomonē tēs elpidos (ὑπομονὴ τῆς ἐλπίδος, 'endurance produced by hope'). Faith works, love toils to exhaustion, hope endures.

In the sight of God and our Father (emprosthen tou Theou kai Patros hēmōn, ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν)—their virtues are exercised coram Deo, 'before the face of God.' The Thessalonians' faith wasn't theoretical but active in works (James 2:17); their love wasn't sentimental but costly (kopos implies wearying labor); their hope wasn't passive but produced perseverance under persecution. This trinity of graces flows from union with Christ—notice 'in our Lord Jesus Christ,' the source and sphere of all Christian virtue.

Historical Context

The Thessalonians demonstrated these virtues despite brutal persecution. After Paul left, local Jews and thugs had attacked Jason's house, dragging believers before city authorities with charges of treason against Caesar (Acts 17:5-9). Yet their faith continued producing works, their love kept laboring despite cost, and their hope in Christ's return sustained endurance. This real-world testing proved the genuineness of their conversion from idols (1:9).

Questions for Reflection