The Nugget:
1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. (KJV)
1Th 2:13 And for this cause we still give praise to God, that, when the word came to your ears through us, you took it, not as the word of man, but, as it truly is, the word of God, which has living power in you who have faith. (Bible in Basic English)
1Th 2:13 And because of this we also give thanks to God constantly, that when you received God’s word that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe. (LEB, Lexham English Bible)
1Th 2:13 And, for this cause, we, are also giving thanks unto God unceasingly, that, when ye received a spoken word from us – which was God’s, ye welcomed it – not as a human word, but, even as it truly is, a divine word, – which is also inwardly working itself in you who believe. (EB, Emphasized Bible, Rotherham)
1Th 2:13 Here is another reason why we never stop thanking God: When you received God’s word from us, you realized it wasn’t the word of humans. Instead, you accepted it for what it really is-the word of God. This word is at work in you believers. (GW, God’s Word translation)
1Th 2:13 And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received the word of God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also is powerfully working in you that believe. (Noyes NT)
1Th 2:13 Therefore also we give thanks unceasingly to God, that the word of God which ye received from us, ye did not receive as the word of men, but as being truly the word of God, which worketh efficiently in you and in them that believe. (Murdock NT)
1Th 2:13 We always thank God that you believed the message we preached. It came from him, and it isn’t something made up by humans. You accepted it as God’s message, and now he is working in you. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)
My Comment:
I remember hearing Dr. Lehman Straus, then pastor of the Highland Park Baptist Church, teaching from this verse (1 Thessalonians 2:13). He emphatically stressed that “It is the Word of God that works in you.” Dr. Straus was a very effective Bible teacher if he impressed me that thoroughly such that I still remember that message today, six decades or so later! Dr. Straus frequently emphasized that though he was teaching in a Baptist church, he was not teaching Baptist doctrine but Bible doctrine.
I believe this principle is the key to continuing spiritual growth–continually receiving the Bible as the very Word of God. If you are not studying the Bible seriously on a regular, even daily basis (Acts 17:11), you are missing out on the spiritual growth you could and should be experiencing (2 Peter 3:18).
One of the most effective ways to study the Bible is to focus on a verse of special interest or concern to you and read the cross references furnished for that verse in such resources as the original Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, my expanded and corrected edition of that resource titled The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, and for yet deeper and sometimes controversial study, my vastly expanded resource, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury.
Here are the cross references for 1 Thessalonians 2:13 from each of these resources:
From the original Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
1 Thessalonians 2:13
thank: 1Th 1:2-3; Rom 1:8-9
because: Jer 44:16; Mat 10:13-14, Mat 10:40; Act 2:41, Act 10:33, Act 13:45, Act 13:48, Act 16:14, Act 16:30, 31, 32, 33, 34; Act 17:11, Act 17:18, 19, 20, Act 17:32; Gal 4:14; 2Pe 3:2
the word of God: Jer 23:28-29; Luk 5:1, Luk 8:11, Luk 8:21, Luk 11:28; Act 8:14, Act 13:44, Act 13:46; Rom 10:17; Heb 4:12; 1Pe 1:25; 2Pe 1:16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
effectually: 1Th 1:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10; Joh 15:3, Joh 17:17, Joh 17:19; Rom 6:17-18; 2Co 3:18; Col 1:6; Heb 4:12; Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:23, 1Pe 2:2; 1Jn 3:3, 1Jn 5:4, 5
From The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
1 Thessalonians 2:13
thank. See on +*1Th 1:2; 1Th 1:3; *Rom 1:8; Rom 1:9
because. *Jer 44:16; Mat 10:13; Mat 10:14; Mat 10:40; *Act 2:41; Act 10:33; Act 11:1; Act 13:45; Act 13:48; Act 16:14; Act 16:30-34; +*Act 17:11; Act 17:18-20; Act 17:32; *Gal 4:14; *2Pe 3:2
ye received. *1Th 4:8; *Mat 10:40; Mat 13:23; Luk 10:39; +*Act 17:11; Act 17:12
which ye heard. lit. the word of hearing. ƒ144 (B), +Deut 33:19; ✓Rom 10:17; Gal 3:2; Gal 3:5
received it not as. T1066. +Mat 10:20; +*Luk 8:18; Gal 4:14
word of men. Gal 1:11
the word of God. ✓Jer 23:28 n, Jer 23:29; *Luk 5:1; *Luk 8:11; Luk 8:21; +*Luk 11:28; Act 8:14; Act 13:44; *Act 13:46; +Rom 9:6; ✓Rom 10:17; *Eph 6:17; +✓2Ti 3:15; 2Ti 3:16; Heb 4:12; *1Pe 1:25; *2Pe 1:16-21
effectually worketh. T1053. *1Th 1:5-10; ✓Isa 55:11; Jer 5:14; Jer 23:29; ✓Joh 15:3; *Joh 17:17; Joh 17:19; Act 19:20; +*Act 20:32; +*Rom 1:16; *Rom 6:17; Rom 6:18; ✓2Co 3:18; ◐*Php 2:13; *Col 1:6; +✓2Ti 3:15; 2Ti 3:16; Heb 4:12; +*Jas 1:18; +*Jas 5:16; +*1Pe 1:23; *1Pe 2:2; *2Pe 3:18; *1Jn 3:3; *1Jn 5:4; 1Jn 5:5
From the Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this cause. Joh 12:18.
thank. See on *+1Th 1:2; *+1Th 1:3, 1Ch 29:13, *Rom 1:8; *Rom 1:9, Phm 1:7.
without ceasing. +1Th 1:3.
because. *Jer 44:16, Mat 10:13, 14; Mat 10:40, *Act 2:41; Act 10:33; Act 11:1; Act 13:45; Act 13:48; Act 16:14; Act 16:30, 31, 32, 33, 34; +**Act 17:11; Act 17:18, 19, 20; Act 17:32, *Gal 4:14, *2Pe 3:2.
ye received. 1Th 1:6; *1Th 4:1; *1Th 4:8, Psa 119:102, *Pro 4:10, Eze 3:10, *Mat 10:40; Mat 13:23, Luk 10:39, **Joh 8:47; *Joh 17:8, +**Act 17:11; Act 17:12, *1Co 15:1, 2Th 1:10, Heb 4:2.
word of God. 1Ki 17:24, Jer 10:1, Joh 6:63, 2Th 3:1, *Heb 13:7, +*Jas 1:21.
which ye heard. lit. the word of hearing. FS144B, +Deut 33:19. Neh 8:3, Hag 1:12, **Rom 10:17, Gal 3:2; Gal 3:5, Eph 1:13, Col 1:5, Heb 4:2, Jas 1:19.
of us. Gal 1:6, +*2Ti 3:14.
received it not as. T1066, +Mat 10:20, +*Luk 8:18, Gal 4:14.
word of men. 1Co 2:13; 1Co 9:8, *Gal 1:11; *Gal 1:12, **1Jn 2:27.
is in truth. Gr. alēthōs (S# G230, Mat 14:33). 1Th 1:9, Psa 45:4, Gal 2:5.
the word of God. Rather than contending so much for what is clearly not essential to faith in Christ, true Bible believing Christians encourage others to get into the written Word of God in the Bible for themselves so that others can come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way and have a life-giving relationship with Him that results in genuine belief that brings eternal life. Only the Bible provides the spiritual food necessary for spiritual growth and “works effectually” in those who believe. 1Th 1:5; 1Th 1:8, 1Ki 17:24, **Jer 23:28 note, Jer 23:29, Mat 7:28, 29, Luk 1:37; Luk 4:32; Luk 4:36; *Luk 5:1; *Luk 8:11; *Luk 8:21; +*Luk 11:28; Luk 20:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Act 8:14; Act 13:44; *Act 13:46, +Rom 9:6; **Rom 10:17, *Eph 6:17, +**2Ti 3:15; +**2Ti 3:16; 2Ti 4:2, **Heb 4:12, *1Pe 1:25, *2Pe 1:16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.
effectually worketh. Middle Voice verb, so reference to the Word, not God, thus “which effectually worketh,” not “who effectually worketh,” which would require Active Voice. It is the Word of God now contained in the Bible, not tradition, “which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” T1053, 1Th 2:1. *1Th 1:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Psa 110:2; +*Psa 119:105, **Isa 55:11, Jer 5:14; Jer 23:29, **Joh 15:3; *Joh 17:17; *Joh 17:19, Act 19:20; +*Act 20:32, +*Rom 1:16; *Rom 6:17; *Rom 6:18, **2Co 3:18, Eph 3:7; Eph 4:16, %*Php 2:13 note. *Col 1:6, 2Th 1:11; 2Th 3:1, +**2Ti 3:15; +**2Ti 3:16, **+Heb 4:12, +*Jas 1:18; *+Jas 5:16, +*1Pe 1:23; *1Pe 2:2, *2Pe 3:18, **1Jn 2:27; *1Jn 3:3; *1Jn 5:4; *1Jn 5:5, 3Jn 1:2.
also. Marking those who upon hearing believed, in contrast to those who merely heard. Act 16:14.
in you that believe. 1Th 1:7, Heb 4:12, Jas 1:21, 1Pe 1:23.