The Meaning of 1 Thessalonians 4:10 Explained

1 Thessalonians 4:10

KJV: And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

YLT: for ye do it also to all the brethren who are in all Macedonia; and we call upon you, brethren, to abound still more,

Darby: For also ye do this towards all the brethren in the whole of Macedonia; but we exhort you, brethren, to abound still more,

ASV: for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  indeed  ye do  it  toward  all  the brethren  which  are in  all  Macedonia:  but  we beseech  you,  brethren,  that ye increase  more and more; 

What does 1 Thessalonians 4:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul"s words were only encouragements to maintain the loving behavior that they had learned and had manifested already. The Greek text has one command, "we urge," an object, "you," followed by four infinitives ( 1 Thessalonians 4:10 b, 11), and a final clause that gives the intended outcome ( 1 Thessalonians 4:12). Paul"s readers demonstrated brotherly love by reaching out to other needy Christians who lived in their province. They did respond to this charge and reached out still farther. This is clear from 2 Corinthians 8:1-5.
"Christianity sprang up in a land and culture where clan ties were strong and society was more corporate than individualistic. Not so the Greco-Roman culture; hence, Paul"s constant emphasis on love." [1]

Context Summary

1 Thessalonians 4:9-18 - United Now And Hereafter In The Lord
It is suggested that God Himself is the teacher of love. Others may teach the lower classes in the school of grace, but the highest is reserved for the Supreme Teacher. Note that recurring more and more, 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:10. The distribution of goods in the early Church may have led to abuses, which the injunctions here given were intended to rectify. It is well to bring up every child to know one means of livelihood, and children are much more likely to grow up into noble and useful people, if they are encouraged to work for their living. Do something in the world!
These disciples anticipated the speedy return of the Lord and feared lest those who had died would be worse off than they: The Apostle bade them dismiss such fears, because they who remained alive until the coming of the Lord would have no precedence over others who had died. Paul assures them that they who had fallen asleep were with Jesus, and that they would accompany Him when He came again; To those who needed to be raised, Jesus would be "the Resurrection"; to those who were living, He would be "the Life." They that believed in Him, though they had died, yet would they live; and they who lived till He came would never die. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Thessalonians 4

1  He exhorts them to go forward in all manner of godliness;
6  to live holily and justly;
9  to love one another;
11  and quietly to follow their own business;
13  and last of all, to sorrow moderately for the dead
17  followed by a brief description of the resurrection, and second coming of Christ to judgment

Greek Commentary for 1 Thessalonians 4:10

Ye do it [ποιειτε αυτο]
The αυτο — auto refers to το αγαπαιν αλληλους — to agapāin allēlous (to love one another). Delicate praise. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Thessalonians 4:10

1 Thessalonians 1:4 Beloved by God [ηγαπημενοι υπο του τεου]
Perfect passive participle of αγαπαω — agapaō the verb so common in the N.T. for the highest kind of love. Paul is not content with the use of αδελποι — adelphoi here (often in this Epistle as 1 Thessalonians 2:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 1 Thessalonians 2:17; 1 Thessalonians 3:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:10), but adds this affectionate phrase nowhere else in the N.T. in this form (cf. Judges 1:3) though in Sirach 45:1 and on the Rosetta Stone. But in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 he quotes “beloved by the Lord” from Deuteronomy 33:12. The use of αδελποι — adelphoi for members of the same brotherhood can be derived from the Jewish custom (Acts 2:29, Acts 2:37) and the habit of Jesus (Matthew 12:48) and is amply illustrated in the papyri for burial clubs and other orders and guilds (Moulton and Milligan‘s Vocabulary). Your election (την εκλογην υμων — tēn eklogēn humōn). That is the election of you by God. It is an old word from εκλεγομαι — eklegomai used by Jesus of his choice of the twelve disciples (John 15:16) and by Paul of God‘s eternal selection (Ephesians 1:4). The word εκλογη — eklogē is not in the lxx and only seven times in the N.T. and always of God‘s choice of men (Acts 9:15; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; Romans 9:11; Romans 11:5, Romans 11:7, Romans 11:8; 2 Peter 1:10). The divine εκλογη — eklogē was manifested in the Christian qualities of 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (Moffatt). [source]
1 Thessalonians 4:11 That ye study to be quiet [πιλοτιμεισται ησυχαζειν]
First infinitive dependent on παρακαλουμεν — parakaloumen (1 Thessalonians 4:10, we exhort you), the second on πιλοτιμεισται — philotimeisthai (old verb from πιλοτιμος — philotimos fond of honour, πιλοσ τιμη — philosπρασσειν τα ιδια — timē). The notion of ambition appears in each of the three N.T. examples (1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 5:9; Romans 5:20), but it is ambition to do good, not evil. The word ambition is Latin (ambitio from ambo, ire), to go on both sides to accomplish one‘s aims and often evil). A preacher devoid of ambition lacks power. There was a restless spirit in Thessalonica because of the misapprehension of the second coming. So Paul urges an ambition to be quiet or calm, to lead a quiet life, including silence (Acts 11:18). [source]
1 John 2:9 His brother [τὸν ἀδελφόν]
His fellow-Christian. The singular, brother, is characteristic of this Epistle. See 1 John 2:10, 1 John 2:11; 1 John 3:10, 1 John 3:15, 1 John 3:17; 1 John 4:20, 1 John 4:21; 1 John 5:16. Christians are called in the New Testament, Christians (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16), mainly by those outside of the Christian circle. Disciples, applied to all followers of Christ (John 2:11; John 6:61) and strictly to the twelve (John 13:5sqq.). In Acts 19:1, to those who had received only John's baptism. Not found in John's Epistles nor in Revelation. Brethren. The first title given to the body of believers after the Ascension (Acts 1:15, where the true reading is ἀδελφῶν brethrenfor μαθητῶν disciples). See Acts 9:30; Acts 10:23; Acts 11:29; 1 Thessalonians 4:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 John 3:14; 3 John 1:5, 3 John 1:10; John 21:23. Peter has ἡ ἀδελφότης thebrotherhood (1 Peter 2:17; 1 Peter 5:9). The believers. Under three forms: The believers ( οἱ πιστοί ; Acts 10:45; 1 Timothy 4:12); they that believe ( οἱ πιστεύοντες ; 1 Peter 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:7; Ephesians 1:19); they that believed ( οἱ πιστεύσαντες ; Acts 2:44; Acts 4:32; Hebrews 4:3). The saints ( οἱ ἅγιοι ); characteristic of Paul and Revelation. Four times in the Acts (Acts 9:13, Acts 9:32, Acts 9:41; Acts 26:10), and once in Jude (Judges 1:3). Also Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 13:24. In Paul, 1 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Ephesians 1:1, Ephesians 1:15, etc. In Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3, Revelation 8:4; Revelation 11:18, etc.|Until now ( ἕως ἄρτι )|Though the light has been increasing, and though he may claim that he has been in the light from the first. The phrase occurs in John 2:10; John 5:17; John 16:24; and is used by Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 8:7; 1 Corinthians 15:6.| [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Thessalonians 4:10 mean?

And for you are doing this toward all the brothers the [ones] in all - Macedonia We exhort however you brothers to abound more and more
καὶ γὰρ ποιεῖτε αὐτὸ εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ‹τοὺς› ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Μακεδονίᾳ Παρακαλοῦμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀδελφοί περισσεύειν μᾶλλον

ποιεῖτε  you  are  doing 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
αὐτὸ  this 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
εἰς  toward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
ἀδελφοὺς  brothers 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
‹τοὺς›  the  [ones] 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Μακεδονίᾳ  Macedonia 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: Μακεδονία  
Sense: a country bounded on the south by Thessaly and Epirus, on the east by Thrace and the Aegean Sea, on the west by Illyria, and on the North by Dardania and Moesia.
Παρακαλοῦμεν  We  exhort 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: παρακαλέω  
Sense: to call to one’s side, call for, summon.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἀδελφοί  brothers 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
περισσεύειν  to  abound 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: περισσεύω  
Sense: to exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain number or measure.
μᾶλλον  more  and  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μᾶλλον  
Sense: more, to a greater degree, rather.