1st Thessalonians Chapter 2 verse 18 Holy Bible
because we would fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us.
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For which reason we made attempts to come to you, even I, Paul, once and again; but Satan kept us from coming.
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wherefore we have desired to come to you, even I Paul, both once and twice, and Satan has hindered us.
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Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
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read chapter 2 in WBT
because we wanted to come to you--indeed, I, Paul, once and again-- but Satan hindered us.
read chapter 2 in WEB
wherefore we wished to come unto you, (I indeed Paul,) both once and again, and the Adversary did hinder us;
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Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 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).
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(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. . . .
