1 Thessalonians 2:16

Amharic New Standard Translation (አማርኛ አዲሱ መደበኛ ትርጉም) 2005

አሕዛብ የሚድኑበትን ቃል እንዳንናገር እንኳ ይከለክሉናል፤ በዚህ ዐይነት ኃጢአትን በኃጢአት ላይ እየጨመሩ ይሄዳሉ፤ ስለዚህ በመጨረሻ የእግዚአብሔር ቊጣ መጥቶባቸዋል።

What Does This Mean?

In this verse, Paul is talking about how some people were stopping him from telling the Gentiles (non-Jewish people) about Jesus so they could be saved. He believes these people are filling up their own sins and that God's anger has come upon them fully.

Explained for Children

Imagine you have a friend who keeps hiding your favorite toy because they don't want others to play with it. Paul is upset because some people were doing something similar by not letting him share the good news about Jesus with everyone, thinking only certain people should know. This made God very sad.

Historical Background

This verse comes from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians, written around 50-52 AD. The audience was a mixed community in Thessalonica, including both Jewish and Gentile Christians. At this time, there were tensions between Jews who believed Jesus was the Messiah and those who did not.

Living It Out Today

Today, this verse can remind us to be open-hearted and inclusive when sharing our beliefs with others. It's important to avoid being exclusive or judgmental about who gets to hear the message of hope and salvation.

Topics

• salvation
• exclusivity
• judgment
• inclusion
• forgiveness
• hope

Related Verses

• Acts 13:46
• Romans 9:27-28
• Isaiah 59:18
• Ephesians 2:11-12
• Matthew 23:32

Frequently Asked Questions

Why were some people stopping Paul from speaking to the Gentiles?

Some Jewish leaders believed that salvation was only meant for Jews and not for Gentiles. They opposed Paul's mission to share the message of Jesus with all people, fearing it would dilute their own beliefs.

What does 'fill up their sins' mean?

'Fill up their sins' suggests that these individuals were accumulating more wrongdoing by hindering others from hearing about salvation. This idea reflects the belief in divine justice and judgment.

How can this verse help us in modern times?

This verse encourages inclusivity and warns against exclusivity in sharing faith, reminding believers to welcome all people into their communities without prejudice or exclusion.

What is the 'wrath' mentioned here referring to?

The 'wrath' refers to divine judgment for those who reject the message of salvation and hinder others from receiving it. It emphasizes the seriousness of such actions in God's eyes.