1 Thessalonians 2:17
<< 1 Thessalonians 2:17 >>
New International Version (©1984)
But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated from you for a little while (though our hearts never left you), we tried very hard to come back because of our intense longing to see you again.

English Standard Version (©2001)
But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while-- in person, not in spirit-- were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.

International Standard Version (©2008)
Brothers, although we have been separated from you for a little while-in person but not in heart-we eagerly desire to see you again face to face.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Brothers and sisters, we have been separated from you for a little while. Although we may not be able to see you, you're always in our thoughts. We have made every possible effort to fulfill our desire to see you.

King James Bible
But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

American King James Version
But we, brothers, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

American Standard Version
But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire:

Bible in Basic English
But we, my brothers, being away from you for a short time, in body but not in heart, had all the more desire to see your face;

Douay-Rheims Bible
But we, brethren, being taken away from you for a short time, in sight, not in heart, have hastened the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

Darby Bible Translation
But we, brethren, having been bereaved of you and separated for a little moment in person, not in heart, have used more abundant diligence to see your face with much desire;

English Revised Version
But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire:

Webster's Bible Translation
But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

Weymouth New Testament
But we, brethren, having been for a short time separated from you in bodily presence, though not in heart, endeavoured all the more earnestly, with intense longing, to see you face to face.

World English Bible
But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

Young's Literal Translation
And we, brethren, having been taken from you for the space of an hour -- in presence, not in heart -- did hasten the more abundantly to see your face in much desire,

Geneva Study Bible

{15} But we, brethren, {m} being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

(15) He meets with an objection, why he did not come to them immediately, being in such great misery: I often desired to, he says, and I was not able, but Satan hindered my endeavours, and therefore I sent Timothy my faithful companion to you, because you are most dear to me.

(m) Were kept apart from you, and as it were orphans.

People's New Testament

2:17 We, brethren, being taken from you. Forced away from them, his heart remained with them.

Wesley's Notes

2:17 In this verse we have a remarkable instance, not so much of the transient affections of holy grief, desire, or joy, as of that abiding tenderness, that loving temper, which is so apparent in all St. Paul's writings, towards those he styles his children in the faith. This is the more carefully to be observed, because the passions occasionally exercising themselves, and flowing like a torrent, in the apostle, are observable to every reader; whereas it requires a nicer attention to discern those calm standing tempers, that fixed posture of his soul, from whence the others only flow out, and which more peculiarly distinguish his character.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. But we-resumed from 1Th 2:13; in contrast to the Jews, 1Th 2:15, 16.

taken-rather as Greek, "severed (violently, Ac 17:7-10) from you," as parents bereft of their children. So "I will not leave you comfortless," Greek, "orphanized" (Joh 14:18).

for a short time-literally, "for the space of an hour." "When we had been severed from you but a very short time (perhaps alluding to the suddenness of his unexpected departure), we the more abundantly (the shorter was our separation; for the desire of meeting again is the more vivid, the more recent has been the parting) endeavored," &c. (Compare 2Ti 1:4). He does not hereby, as many explain, anticipate a short separation from them, which would be a false anticipation; for he did not soon revisit them. The Greek past participle also forbids their view.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:17-20 This world is not a place where we are to be always, or long together. In heaven holy souls shall meet, and never part more. And though the apostle could not come to them yet, and thought he might never be able to come, yet our Lord Jesus Christ will come; nothing shall hinder that. May God give faithful ministers to all who serve him with their spirit in the gospel of his Son, and send them to all who are in darkness


1 Corinthians 5:3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.
1 Thessalonians 3:10 as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith? (NASB ©1995)

Abundant Abundantly Bereaved Bodily Body Desire Eagerly Earnestly Endeavored Endeavoured Exceedingly Face Great Harder Heart Intense Longing Presence Season Separated Short Thought Time Torn Tried Used

But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

in presence. 2Ki 5:26 Ac 17:10 1Co 5:3 Col 2:5

endeavoured. 3:6,10,11 Ge 31:30 45:28 48:11 2Sa 13:39 Ps 63:1 Lu 22:15 Ro 1:13 15:23 Php 1:22-26

Bible Gateway: 1 Thessalonians Chapter 2 Verse 17 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: in a all away been brethren brothers But desire eager effort every face for from great having in intense longing made more not of our out person see short spirit-were taken the thought time to torn we were when while-in with you your

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright ;© 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.All Rights Reserved.

The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

NT Letters: 1 Thessalonians 2:17 But we brothers being bereaved of you (1 Thess. 1 Thes. 1Th iTh i Th) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools

1 Thessalonians 2:17 Bible Software
1 Thessalonians 2:17 Biblia Paralela
1 Thessalonians 2:17 Chinese Bible
1 Thessalonians 2:17 French Bible
1 Thessalonians 2:17 German Bible
1 Thessalonians 2:17 Danish Bible
1 Thessalonians 2:17 Swedish Bible
1 Thessalonians 2:17 Norwegian Bible
1 Thessalonians 2:17 Multilingual Bible

Online Bible