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2 Thessalonians 3:1–5, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
2 Thessalonians 3:1–5
Pray for the Word's Advance and Trust the Faithful Lord
Pray that the word would run; trust the Lord who does not fail when people do
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. The first request is for the message to run and be honored, as it already has among them. Rescue from harmful people comes second. 'Unreasonable and wicked men' are opponents of that word. The phrase is not an ethnic portrait, not a slur on Jews, and not a license to treat every critic as wicked.
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. Human unbelief is real; the Lord's faithfulness is the contrast that actually holds the church. The team has confidence in the Lord touching them, that they both do and will do what is commanded. Then the prayer aims their inner life: the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. The KJV's 'patient waiting' is endurance directed toward Christ. Hearts are steered into love and endurance, not into a date.
How this should shape us
Pray that the Lord's word would run in a place you can name, and that workers would be kept from people who mean harm. Trust the Lord's faithfulness more than the reliability of every hearer, and ask him to point your heart toward love and endurance rather than toward a countdown.
Teach it back
Explain 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5 in your own words. Include its place in the letter, one exact textual observation, one important uncertainty or limit, and one conclusion the unit does not permit.
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Go deeper
The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.
Where careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties
Where do careful interpreters disagree?
Best judgment: Interpreters debate whether verse 3 refers to evil generally or the evil one and how to construe the genitives in verse 5: God's love or love for God, Christ's endurance or endurance for Christ. The unit clearly asks mission prayer, contrasts human unreliability with the faithful Lord, and seeks hearts directed into love and endurance.
How certain? probableResearch trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section
Supports: The exact pinned KJV wording and immediate English context for 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5.
eBible/CrossWire eng-kjv2006 USFM, source files dated 2026-08-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5; archive and normalized-corpus SHA-256 values are recorded in the library policy.
Supports: The critically edited Greek wording, connective structure, lexical forms, and variation markers.
Official SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/2Thess.txt, 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5.
Supports: Material translation choices, syntax, and textual variants checked at the cited verses.
NET Bible official 2 Thessalonians PDF, chapter 3, translator, study, and textual notes attached to verses 1–5; PDF pp. 3–4.
Supports: A complete modern evangelical commentary check on literary flow, historical setting, theology, and major interpretations.
David W. Chapman, The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, “2 Thessalonians,” Request for Prayer and Transitional Benediction (3:1–5).
Supports: A modern Jewish-context and historical-critical check on authorship, apocalyptic language, persecution, judgment, ethics, and textual questions.
Adam Gregerman, “2 Thessalonians,” in The Jewish Annotated New Testament (2011 first edition), print p. 381.
Supports: A morphology and lexical-range cross-check for original-language notes.
STEP Bible Data repository, TAGNT and Greek lexical records, 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5.
Sources for This Section
These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: The exact pinned KJV wording and immediate English context for 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5.
Exact location: eBible/CrossWire eng-kjv2006 USFM, source files dated 2026-08-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5; archive and normalized-corpus SHA-256 values are recorded in the library policy.
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: The critically edited Greek wording, connective structure, lexical forms, and variation markers.
Exact location: Official SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/2Thess.txt, 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5.
Open the 2 Thessalonians Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — 2 Thessalonians with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Material translation choices, syntax, and textual variants checked at the cited verses.
Exact location: NET Bible official 2 Thessalonians PDF, chapter 3, translator, study, and textual notes attached to verses 1–5; PDF pp. 3–4.
Open NET 2 Thessalonians 3 ↗modern open commentary
2 Thessalonians
David W. Chapman
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: A complete modern evangelical commentary check on literary flow, historical setting, theology, and major interpretations.
Exact location: David W. Chapman, The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, “2 Thessalonians,” Request for Prayer and Transitional Benediction (3:1–5).
Open source ↗modern annotated new testament
2 Thessalonians introduction and annotations in The Jewish Annotated New Testament
Adam Gregerman; edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler
Oxford University Press, 2011
Supports: A modern Jewish-context and historical-critical check on authorship, apocalyptic language, persecution, judgment, ethics, and textual questions.
Exact location: Adam Gregerman, “2 Thessalonians,” in The Jewish Annotated New Testament (2011 first edition), print p. 381.
Open source ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: A morphology and lexical-range cross-check for original-language notes.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data repository, TAGNT and Greek lexical records, 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5.
Open source ↗