Devine Scripture

1 Thessalonians 2:12

What does 1 Thessalonians 2:12 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 Thessalonians 2:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 Thessalonians 2:12 means

Their purpose was that the Thessalonians “should walk worthily of God,” the One who calls them “into his own kingdom and glory.” A worthy walk means living in a manner that fits the dignity and destiny of God’s call. The kingdom is God’s rule into which believers have been summoned; glory is the ultimate future with Him. This calling comes from God and leads to God, so life in the present should reflect that high vocation. The apostles’ exhortations aimed not at pleasing men, but at aligning believers’ daily steps with the realities of God’s reign and the hope of glory revealed in the Lord Jesus at His coming.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

So that your lives might be pleasing to God, who has given you a part in his kingdom and his glory.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for your walking worthily of God, who is calling you to His own reign and glory.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

We testified to every one of you that you would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

that ye should walk worthy ofGod, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory.

Context

Verses 11–12 complete the parental imagery by showing the end goal of their fatherly ministry: a life worthy of God’s call. This links back to verse 4’s God-pleasing motive and forward to verse 13’s thanksgiving for the word’s effective work. The flow emphasizes that authentic ministry aims at transformed living under God’s kingdom, not mere assent to teaching. The coming “glory” theme will resurface at the chapter’s close (vv. 19–20).

v.11as ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying,

v.12This passage

v.13And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 8:30

    and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

  • Romans 8:28

    And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:24

    Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it.

  • 1 Peter 2:9

    But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

  • Ephesians 5:2

    and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.

  • 1 John 2:6

    he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked.

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