What Does 1 Thessalonians 2:2 Mean in the King James?
But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse holds open speech and real struggle together: courage does not mean the contest has ended.
THE MEANING
Abuse can be real, and open speech can still arise in God. The courage in this verse does not depend on the struggle disappearing first.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the lie that being humiliated makes honest speech impossible.
THE ROOT
ἀγῶνι
agōni
GROWS FROM
ἀγών
agōn
Contest or struggle that demands effort.
“With much contention” is ἐν πολλῷ ἀγῶνι (en pollō agōni), “in a great struggle or contest”; it need not mean they are arguing with their hearers. The verse keeps the strain inside the scene: open proclamation and real opposition coexist.
ALSO GROWS
agōnizomai: To strive or struggle.
ἀγωνίζομαι
It makes clear that the contest is an exertion the speakers are moving through as they speak.
agōnia: A state of acute struggle or distress.
ἀγωνία
This branch shows the weight carried by the word for contest; boldness here does not make the strain disappear.
ἐπαρρησιασάμεθα
eparrēsiasametha
GROWS FROM
παρρησιάζ- / παρρησία (parrēsiaz- / parrēsia)
Openness or frankness of speech; speaking freely.
“were bold to speak” in this verse is eparrēsiasametha. The verb describes speaking openly, not simply feeling fearless inside. Here that open speech is “in our God” while the ἀγών (agōn), the struggle, continues.
ALSO GROWS
parrēsia: Free and confident speech.
παρρησία
This noun names the openness carried by the verb translated “were bold.”
parrēsiazomai: To speak freely or frankly.
παρρησιάζομαι
This is the word family of the verse’s “were bold to speak,” joining courage to speech that remains unclosed.
THE PATTERN
A word grounded in God remains speakable under pressure, even while the struggle continues.
Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.THE THREAD
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,“Boldly” translates παρρησία (parrēsia), the same Greek word family as the open speaking in this verse. Both passages show frank speech making the gospel known while hardship remains present.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us