1 Thessalonians 3:5 Meaning and Explanation
“For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →No longer able to wait, Paul sent to learn about their faith, fearing the tempter might have shaken them and his work be undone.
What Does 1 Thessalonians 3:5 Mean?
Paul repeats how his anxiety drove him: 'when I could no longer forbear, I sent.' He needed to 'know your faith,' to learn whether it still stood. His specific fear was that 'the tempter,' the adversary who probes for weakness, might have 'tempted' them in their distress until they gave way, leaving Paul's labor 'in vain.'
Behind every persecution Paul sees a deeper purpose at work, the tempter using hardship to lure believers away from Christ. He knew that trials are not merely painful but spiritually dangerous, moments when faith is tested at its roots. His concern that his 'labour be in vain' was not selfish worry over wasted effort but a father's dread that his children might be lost. Yet the very sending of Timothy shows Paul did not surrender to fear; he acted in love to guard them. Where the tempter sows doubt, faithful care can supply strength, and Paul gave himself to that care.
1 Thessalonians 3:5 in the Original Language
peirazo (πειράζω), 'tempted' -- to test or try, here the adversary's probing meant to lead astray.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Thessalonians 3:5
What does 1 Thessalonians 3:5 mean?
No longer able to wait, Paul sent to learn about their faith, fearing the tempter might have shaken them and his work be undone.