2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
13 But we ought to give thanks to God for you always, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits[a] for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in truth.(A) 14 To this end he has [also] called you through our gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.(B) 15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.[b]
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.
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- 2:13 As the firstfruits: there is also strong manuscript evidence for the reading, “God chose you from the beginning,” thus providing a focus on God’s activity from beginning to end; firstfruits is a Pauline term, however; cf. Rom 8:23; 11:16; 16:5 among other references.
- 2:15 Reference to an oral statement and a letter (2 Thes 2:2) and the content here, including a formula of conclusion (cf. 1 Cor 16:13; Gal 5:1), suggest that 2 Thes 2:1–15 or even 2 Thes 2:1–17 are to be taken as a literary unit, notwithstanding the incidental thanksgiving formula in 2 Thes 2:13.
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