1 Thessalonians 2:18
New International Version
For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.

New Living Translation
We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us.

English Standard Version
because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.

Berean Standard Bible
For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore we wanted to come to you--indeed I Paul, both once and twice--and Satan hindered us.

King James Bible
Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

New King James Version
Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.

New American Standard Bible
For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and Satan hindered us.

NASB 1995
For we wanted to come to you— I, Paul, more than once— and yet Satan hindered us.

NASB 1977
For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan thwarted us.

Legacy Standard Bible
For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.

Amplified Bible
For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again [wanted to come], but Satan hindered us.

Christian Standard Bible
So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.

American Standard Version
because we would fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And we wished to come to you, I Paul, once and twice, and Satan hindered me.

Contemporary English Version
We really wanted to come. I myself tried several times, but Satan always stopped us.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For we would have come unto you, I Paul indeed, once and again: but Satan hath hindered us.

English Revised Version
because we would fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
We wanted to visit you. I, Paul, wanted to visit you twice already, but Satan made that impossible.

Good News Translation
We wanted to return to you. I myself tried to go back more than once, but Satan would not let us.

International Standard Version
That is why we wanted to come to you. Certainly I, Paul, wanted to come time and again, but Satan blocked our way.

Literal Standard Version
for this reason we wished to come to you (I, indeed, Paul), both once and again, and Satan hindered us;

Majority Standard Bible
For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.

New American Bible
We decided to go to you—I, Paul, not only once but more than once—yet Satan thwarted us.

NET Bible
For we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, in fact tried again and again) but Satan thwarted us.

New Revised Standard Version
For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, wanted to again and again—but Satan blocked our way.

New Heart English Bible
because we wanted to come to you--indeed, I, Paul, once and again--but Satan hindered us.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore we would have come to you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

Weymouth New Testament
On this account we wanted to come to you--at least I Paul wanted again and again to do so--but Satan hindered us.

World English Bible
because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.

Young's Literal Translation
wherefore we wished to come unto you, (I indeed Paul,) both once and again, and the Adversary did hinder us;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Longing to Visit
17Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense. 18For we wanted to come to you— indeed I, Paul, tried again and again— but Satan obstructed us. 19After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?…

Cross References
Matthew 4:10
"Away from Me, Satan!" Jesus declared. "For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'"

Romans 1:13
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

Romans 15:22
That is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.

Philippians 4:16
For even while I was in Thessalonica, you provided for my needs again and again.


Treasury of Scripture

Why we would have come to you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

even.

1 Corinthians 16:21
The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.

Colossians 4:18
The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3:17
The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

once.

Job 33:14
For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

Philippians 4:16
For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

Satan.

Zechariah 3:1,2
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him…

Romans 1:13
Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

Romans 15:22
For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.

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Account Adversary Attempts Desired Fain Hinder Hindered Indeed Kept Least Once Paul Reason Satan Stopped Wanted Wherefore
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Account Adversary Attempts Desired Fain Hinder Hindered Indeed Kept Least Once Paul Reason Satan Stopped Wanted Wherefore
1 Thessalonians 2
1. In what manner the gospel was brought and preached to the Thessalonians.
18. A reason is rendered both why Paul was so long absent from them, and also so desirous to see them.














(18) We would.--Not merely a conditional tense, but "we were ready to come--meant to come."

Even I Paul.--Rather, that is to say, I; Paul, not as if it were a great thing that one like him should have such a wish, but showing that Silas and Timothy had not shared his intention. Why had they not? The answer shows the minute truthfulness of the Acts. Timothy, apparently, did not at first leave Thessalonica with St. Paul (Acts 17:10, where the Greek seems definitely to exclude him). Both Silas and Timothy were left at Ber?a (Acts 17:14). It was during this period that St. Paul felt so eager a desire to return to his persecuted children. We cannot tell on what two definite occasions the desire was almost taking shape; but possibly his longing may have been stimulated by seeing his messengers start for the north, first when he sent for his two companions (Acts 17:15), and secondly when he despatched Timothy himself to Thessalonica (1Thessalonians 3:2).

But Satan hindered.--How, cannot be decided; but St. Paul has no doubt that his disappointment was a direct manifestation of the work of evil, not a leading of God to stay where he was. Elsewhere he is quite as clear that the obstruction of his own plans is owing to God. (See Acts 16:6-7; 1Corinthians 16:12, where the will spoken of is not Apollos' will, but God's.) The difficulty is to tell in each case whether God is directly saving us from a worse course, in spite of ourselves, or permitting a momentary, and yet if rightly used a disciplinary, triumph of evil. . . .

Verse 18. - Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul. Paul distinguishes himself, because in all probability his companions, Silas and Timothy, had been at Thessalonica after he had left it. Once and again. Not used indefinitely, but referring to two separate attempts which Paul made to revisit the Thessalonians. But Satan hindered us; denoting, not the enemies of Christianity, but the devil, the author of all the hindrances in the kingdom of God. Paul here recognizes the personality of Satan, as the author of all evil, the great opponent of God and Christ. We are not informed by what instrumentality this hindrance of Satan took place. It may refer to the various persecutions against Paul, which prevented him returning to Thessalonica, and especially to that persecution raised against him in Beraea by the Jews of Thessalonica (Acts 17:13). In one sense, indeed, the hindrances arose in the way of God's providence, for under its direction all the journeys of Paul were placed, and Satan could not have hindered him from preaching the gospel in any quarter, unless by the Divine permission (comp. Acts 16:7; Romans 1:13).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
διότι (dioti)
Conjunction
Strong's 1360: On this account, because, for. From dia and hoti; on the very account that, or inasmuch as.

we wanted
ἠθελήσαμεν (ēthelēsamen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

to come
ἐλθεῖν (elthein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

you—
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

indeed
μὲν (men)
Particle
Strong's 3303: A primary particle; properly, indicative of affirmation or concession; usually followed by a contrasted clause with de.

I,
ἐγὼ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

Paul,
Παῦλος (Paulos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3972: Paul, Paulus. Of Latin origin; Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle.

[tried]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

again
ἅπαξ (hapax)
Adverb
Strong's 530: Once, once for all. Probably from hapas; one time.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

again—
δίς (dis)
Adverb
Strong's 1364: Twice, entirely, utterly. Adverb from duo; twice.

but
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

Satan
Σατανᾶς (Satanas)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4567: An adversary, Satan. Of Chaldee origin corresponding to ma'bad; the accuser, i.e. The devil.

obstructed
ἐνέκοψεν (enekopsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1465: To interrupt, hinder. From en and kopto; to cut into, i.e. impede, detain.

us.
ἡμᾶς (hēmas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Letters: 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Because we wanted to come to you--indeed (1 Thess. 1 Thes. 1Th iTh i Th)
1 Thessalonians 2:17
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