• 1 Thessalonians 1:9
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 9 αὐτοὶ they γὰρ for περὶ about ἡμῶν us ἀπαγγέλλουσιν they are reporting back ὁποίαν what sort of εἴσοδον way into ἔσχομεν we had πρὸς toward ὑμᾶς, YOU, καὶ and πῶς how ἐπεστρέψατε YOU turned upon πρὸς toward τὸν the θεὸν God ἀπὸ from τῶν the εἰδώλων idols δουλεύειν to be slaving θεῷ to God ζῶντι living καὶ and ἀληθινῷ, true,

  • 1 Thessalonians Study Notes—Chapter 1
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 1:9

      you turned to God: Paul uses a verb that means “to return; to turn back (around)” in a literal sense, but here and in other contexts, it denotes turning to God from a wrong course. (See study note on Ac 3:19.) Those Christians had rejected and abandoned their idolatrous ways and had wisely turned to worshipping “a living and true God.”

      your idols: Idolatry was a prominent feature of life in Thessalonica. The city abounded with sanctuaries to such gods as Dionysus, Zeus, Artemis, and Apollos, along with some Egyptian deities and the cult of Cabirus, a patron god of Thessalonica. Additionally, refusal to participate in emperor worship could have been viewed by some as rebellion against Rome. Some of the city’s idol temples promoted promiscuity and sexual immorality, and Paul warned the Thessalonians against such practices.​—1Th 4:3-8.

      to slave for: Or “to serve.” The Greek verb rendered “to slave” refers to serving others, usually an individual owner. Here the term is used figuratively, referring to serving God with undivided devotion. (Ac 4:29; Ro 6:22; 12:11) Paul knew that “to slave for a living and true God” is to live a happy life, far better than one of slavery to lifeless idols, to humans, or to sin.​—Ro 6:6; 1Co 7:23; see study notes on Mt 6:24; Ro 1:1.