G2346 θλίβω (thlíbō)

Narrow (2346) (thlibo from thláo = crush, squash; see related word study - thlipsis) means literally to press hard upon, crowd close against, squeeze or crush. It is so used when speaking of pressing grapes so as to extract the juice. Mark applies the literal meaning of thlibo to describe Jesus asking for a boat to stand ready in case the multitudes would "crowd (or press upon - thlibo) Him" (Mark 3:9). Lloyd-Jones compared the narrow gate to a turnstile that admits one person at a time. Here are some uses from ancient secular Greek literature (adapted from BDAG) - tight quarters; the city jammed full with a multitude; small living quarters; a tight place and full of bad snakes = a place jammed full with bad snakes the misery is twofold: tight quarters to begin with and being totally surrounded by snakes); distressed by someone’s scheming; distressed soul. Vine says thlibo means to to suffer affliction, to be troubled, with reference to sufferings due to the pressure of circumstances, or the antagonism of persons. In the present use the verb in the perfect tense conveys the idea of that which is narrow or strait (cramped, a position of acute difficulty), hemmed in, like a mountain gorge. Vine adds thlibo when referring to the way is ‘rendered narrow’ by the Divine conditions, which make it impossible for any to enter who think the entrance depends upon self—merit, or who still incline towards sin, or desire to continue in evil. TDNT writes that... 1. thlibo means literally “to press,” “squash,” “hem in,” then “to be narrow.” thliÃpsis means “pressure” in the physical sense, e.g., medically of the pulse. 2. thlibo figuratively means “to afflict,” “harass” with the nuances a. “to discomfit,” b. “to oppress” or “vex.” Philosophically the group is used for life's afflictions. B. thlibo, thlipsis in the LXX. 1. The theologically significant figurative use is common in the LXX for various Hebrew terms meaning a. “to distress,” b. “to treat with hostility,” c. “to afflict,” d. “to oppress,” and e. “to harass,” “be hostile to,” and even “destroy,” or, in the case of the noun, a. “trouble,” b. “distress,” c. “oppression,” “tribulation,” etc. 2. Both internal and external afflictions are in view, the former covering both distress and anxiety, the latter the afflictions of slaves or aliens, oppression by enemies, and such troubles as illness, desert wandering, and shipwreck. 3. Inner fear or anguish may be intended (cf. Gen.42:21'). 4. The terms acquire theological significance because the reference is usually to the distress of Israel (or the righteous), e.g., in Egypt (Ex 4:31), or exile (Dt. 4:29). Often such distress is seen as a divine visitation on the people, so that we read of a present or future day of affliction (Is 37:3 Hab 3:16). 5. Yet the righteous also suffer various afflictions (enemies, sickness, etc.) from which God delivers them (cf. Ps 9:9, 32:7). In later Judaism afflictions are said to bring about repentance, increase merit, or achieve expiation for the self or others. (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans) Thlibo is used 10 times in the NT... Matthew 7:14 "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Mark 3:9 And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the multitude, in order that they might not crowd Him; 2Corinthians 1:6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 2Corinthians 4:8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 2Corinthians 7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 1Thessalonians 3:4 (note) For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know. 2Thessalonians 1:6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 2Thessalonians 1:7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 1 Timothy 5:10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. Hebrews 11:37 (note) They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated Thlibo is used some 76 times in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX) - Ex 3:9; 22:21; 23:9; Lev. 19:33; 25:14, 17; 26:26; Deut. 23:16; 28:52, 53, 55, 57; Jos. 19:47; Jdg. 4:3; 6:9; 8:34; 10:8f, 12; 1 Sam. 10:18; 28:15; 30:6; 2 Sam. 13:2; 22:7; 1 Ki. 8:37; 2 Ki. 13:4; 2 Chr. 6:28; 28:22; 33:12; Ezr. 4:1; Neh. 4:11; 9:27; Job 20:22; 36:15; Ps. 3:1; 13:4; 18:6; 23:5; 27:2, 12; 31:9; 42:10; 44:7; 56:1; 60:12; 69:17, 19; 78:42; 81:14; 102:2; 106:11, 42, 44; 107:6, 13, 19, 28; 120:1; 143:12; Isa. 11:13; 18:7; 19:20; 28:14; 29:7; 49:26; 51:13; Jer. 30:20; Lam. 1:3, 5, 7, 10, 17, 20; 2:17; Ezek. 18:18; Mic. 5:9. For example... Exodus 3:9 "And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing (Heb = lachats = squeeze, press, oppress; Lxx = thlibo in the present tense = continually) them. Judges 4:3 And the sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed (Heb = lachats = squeeze, press, oppress; Lxx = thlibo) the sons of Israel severely for twenty years. Guzik warns that... The true gate is both narrow and difficult. If your road has a gate that is easy and well traveled, you do well to watch out. (Matthew 7) BDAG says that thlibo is used Of a road, a narrow, confined road and therefore a source of trouble or difficulty to those using it (Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature) The Geneva Study Bible writes that... Presenting a rosy picture of the Christian life and minimizing that it is filled with trouble does not follow the lead of our Lord. (cp 2Ti 3:12-note, Php 1:29, 30-note) In sum combining the various definitions, we see that the true way is not only narrow but also difficult. Jesus was saying that the narrow restricting way has connections with persecution, a major theme in Matthew’s Gospel (cf. Matthew 5:10-12, 44; 10:16-39; 11:11-12; 24:4-13; Acts 14:22) The upshot is that if the road you are on has a gate that is easy and well traveled, you do well to reconsider your journey through this life while you still have breath! Kistemaker comments that... It is clear, therefore, that our Lord does not follow the method that is used by certain self-styled revivalists, who speak as if “getting saved” is one of the easiest things in the world. Jesus, on the contrary, pictures entrance into the kingdom as being, on the one hand, most desirable; yet, on the other, not at all easy. The entrance-gate is narrow. It must be “found.” And the road with which it is linked is “constricted.” J. M. Gibson’s remark is to the point, “[Christ’s] appeal is made in such a way as shall commend it, not to the thoughtless, selfish crowd, but to those whose hearts have been drawn and whose consciences have been touched by his presentation of the blessedness they may expect and the righteousness expected of them.” Is it not true that the really great evangelists—think of Whitefield, Spurgeon, and their worthy present day followers—stressed and are stressing this same truth? Was this not also the lesson that Joshua was trying to teach the Israelites (Josh. 24:14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28; see especially Josh 24:14, 15, 16; 19)? (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. Vol. 9: New Testament commentary: Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids: Baker or Logos) The true way to God is narrow, difficult and demanding and has relatively few pilgrim travelers. In contrast the false way is broad, easy and permissive and has many lost souls traveling on it. Steven Cole in his sermon entitled The Narrow Door has the following analysis of Jesus' admonition... Salvation requires our earnest effort, our urgent attention, and our careful self-examination. It requires our earnest effort because the door is narrow. It requires our urgent attention because the door is soon to be closed. It requires our careful self-examination because once it is closed, the door will be eternally-closed. 1. Salvation requires our earnest effort: the narrow door (Lk 13:24). Our Lord did not say, “Good question! Let’s divide up into groups and discuss what each of you thinks about it.” To pool the group’s thoughts would only increase speculation. Jesus wasn’t interested in speculation about theology. He was concerned about the personal salvation of His hearers. So, rather than opening it up for discussion, Jesus gave a command that applied the question to His hearers’ hearts: “Strive to enter by the narrow door.” A. Salvation requires our earnest effort because the door is narrow and exclusive, not wide and all-inclusive. Strive comes from a Greek word used of athletic contests and of war. Obviously, it implies a great deal of effort. You don’t win wars or athletic contests by being passive. You never see an athlete receiving the gold medal, who says, “I had never worked out or run in a race until a few weeks ago. I thought it would be fun, so here I am.” Every athlete who wins strives to win. He invests great energy and effort into winning. It is not an accident if he wins. It is the result of deliberate and sustained effort. Not everyone receives the prize. Only a few are winners. The fact that the door is narrow implies that it takes some deliberate thought and effort to go through it. There aren’t many doors into the same place, so that you can take your pick. There is one and only one door, which is Jesus Christ. He alone is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6). The entrance is narrow and exclusive, not broad and all-inclusive. There isn’t one great big door that’s easy to find and stroll through without thinking about it. There is one narrow door. You might not like the fact that it is narrow. You may think that it’s too exclusive. You may say, “I believe that God is loving and that He will accept everyone who tries to do his best. I believe that all sincere people will get through the door.” But, the fact is, according to Jesus it is narrow, not wide. He made it narrow without checking with us for our ideas about how wide it should be. Whether you like it or not, Jesus claimed to be the only way to God. You can either enter through the narrow door, which is Christ alone, or you can invent a broad door that includes many ways to God, and thus contradict what Jesus Himself said. Jesus is asking, “Are you striving to enter the narrow door? Are you making your salvation a matter of deliberate and sustained effort? Are you sure that you’re entering the narrow door as defined by Jesus and not a broad door of your own choosing?” You say, “Whoa! I thought that salvation is a free gift, received simply by grace through faith, not a matter of our effort. How does this harmonize with striving for it?” Jesus isn’t talking about salvation by works or human effort. But He is talking about our attitude toward it. Those who are only mildly interested about salvation will not obtain it. Those who view salvation as an interesting topic for discussion are missing the point. Those who say, “I believe that all roads lead to God and all good people will go to heaven” are engaging in human speculation, but they are not submitting to Jesus’ divine revelation. They are putting their thoughts about being open-minded and tolerant above Jesus’ words that the door is narrow. The salvation of your eternal soul should not be a casual subject that is good for an occasional stimulating theological discussion! It ought to consume your attention. It shouldn’t be a matter of mild interest that elicits a halfhearted response. You need to take great pains to make sure that you have entered the narrow door. Jesus doesn’t say, “Stroll through the big door sometime when you’re not doing anything else and check it out.” He says, “Strive to enter by the narrow door.” Again, picture the Olympic athlete. He makes winning the gold medal the focus of his life. Everything he does is controlled by his goal of winning the gold. He won’t eat anything that is not good for him, because it might hinder his muscles from performing at their maximum on the day of the race. He doesn’t go to parties and stay up late the night before, because he wants to be rested and ready to give everything to the race. He will refrain from engaging in fun activities that his other friends enjoy, such as skiing or playing softball, because he doesn’t want to break his leg or tear his ligaments. He is disciplined to work out for hours, often when his body is screaming, “That’s enough!” because he wants to win. That’s the kind of attitude that we should have toward our own salvation, according to Jesus. It shouldn’t be a nice thing to think about every once in a while when you don’t have anything better to do. It should be on your mind every day. It should govern everything you do. It should determine how you spend your time, your money, and your leisure hours. You must strive to enter because the door is narrow. It’s not a great big wide door that you can wander into without thinking about it. You must be earnest to make sure that Christ alone is your hope of salvation. B. Salvation requires our earnest effort because many will seek to enter and will not be able to do so. Jesus says that many will seek to enter and will not be able. The following verse indicates that they will not be able to enter because they missed the deadline. It is not that many strive to enter, but only some of those striving succeed. Rather, as the following verses show (Lk 13:25, 26, 27), some will wake up to the serious issues involved in their own salvation too late. They had assumed that all was well with them because they were decent, religious people. They knew Jesus in a casual way, but they had not taken the gospel to heart. They had never repented of their sins. But they didn’t consider these matters seriously until it was too late. I’ll say more about missing the deadline in a moment. But for now, I am making the point that if you follow the crowd you will not follow the Savior into eternal life. Jesus says that there are many (and He is talking about the religious crowd) who will not enter through the narrow door. If you follow them, you will be shut out when that door slams shut. And, it always takes effort, both mentally and morally, to go against the majority. You have to think about matters for yourself and decide, “I will not follow conventional wisdom. I will not go along with group pressure. I will follow the Lord Jesus Christ.” So Jesus’ first point is that salvation requires our earnest effort. If you are only halfhearted about it or go with the crowd, you will miss it! You must strive to enter by the narrow door. Salvation requires our urgent attention: the soon-closed door (Lk 13:25, 26, 27). (I highly recommend that you read Pastor Cole's entire message - The Narrow Door) STRAIT IS THE GATE TO ALL THAT COME by Karolina W. Sandell-Berg (Play hymn) Strait is the gate to all that come, And narrow is the way, Which leads unto the heav’nly home, Where yet is room for thee, Where yet is room for thee. In Heav’n, where God His own shall take, There’s also room for thee. In Jesus’ Name, for Jesus’ sake, The gates shall opened be, The gates shall opened be. Where thousands stand arrayed in white, Whom God His own declared, There yet is room and life and light, By grace for thee prepared, By grace for thee prepared. In Jesus’ heart there’s room, I know, And in His Heav’n of bliss. He in His Gospel tells me so, Thanks be to God for this, Thanks be to God for this. Now God be praised, that even I May in that city dwell, Where peace shall reign eternally, And all with me be well, And all with me be well. Leads (520) (apago from apo = from + ago = lead) means to lead away. 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Suffer affliction (2346) (thlibo from tribos = wear away, rub, break in pieces; NIDNTT says thlibo is from the root thlao = squash, crush) (See study of related word thlipsis) literally means to press, squash, hem in and then to be narrow. It pictures putting pressure upon or a pressing in upon or a pressing hard upon a person (as upon Jesus getting in the boat to keep from being crowded in Mark 3:9). Richison explains that... The words “suffer tribulation” refers to suffering due to the pressure of circumstances or the antagonism of others (2 Thessalonians 1:6, 7). This pressure from without hems the believer in a situation like a mountain gorge (Ed note: see use in Mark 3:9 below for an illustration for this sense of thlibo). God puts conditions in our narrow way and presses us into distressing problems. (Ref) The Williams’ translation footnote says this is the picture of a loaded wagon crushed under its heavy load Marvin Vincent has the following note explaining that the root thlibo means... to press or squeeze. Tribulation is perhaps as accurate a rendering as is possible, being derived from tribulum, the threshing-roller of the Romans. In both the idea of pressure is dominant, though thlipsis does not convey the idea of separation (as of corn from husk) which is implied in tribulatio." (Vincent, M. R. Word studies in the New Testament Vol. 1, Page 3-80) The idea is to press together, compress, squash, hem in. Figuratively thlibo refers to sufferings that arise from the pressure of circumstances or from the antagonism of persons and so means to afflict, to harass, to discomfit, to oppress, to vex. Philosophically group (thlibo, thlipsis) used for life’s afflictions. And so thlibo means to trouble, to afflict, to distress, to oppress, to cause trouble. In the passive voice it means to be the recipient of such trouble, etc, and thus to experience hardship or be afflicted (see 2Cor 1:6). Here in 1Thessalonians 3:4 thlibo does not refer merely to a prediction, but to God's appointed will. The basic idea of thlibo is ‘severe constriction’, ‘narrowing’ or ‘pressing together’ and thlibo is the verb used to describe the pressing of grapes to extract juice and make wine! What do pressing circumstances "extract" out of you...what kind of wine...sweet or bitter? Similar notions underlie the Latin word tribulum (a threshing sledge), which is the source of the English word tribulation. Most biblical references to tribulation are to sufferings endured by the people of God. The central and dominating factor in the biblical understanding of such suffering however is the mystery of the the suffering Servant, the Messiah (see notes Colossians 1:24; Revelation 1:9; cf. Isa 63:9). All the tribulations of the Messianic people are to be viewed in the light of the Savior's Suffering. Here are some phrases in which thlibo is found in ancient secular Greek writings: "tight quarters", "the city is jammed full with a multitude", "a tight place and full of bad snakes", "distressed by someone's scheming", "distressed soul". The figurative used in classic Greek use is common, both in the sense of oppress (external) and of grieve, vex (internal). Epictetus speaks of the pressures of life (ta thlibonta) which the true Stoic must and can overcome (Dissertationes, 4, 1, 45; cf. 1, 25, 17 and 28; 2, 27, 2 f.; 3, 13, 8). Thlibo is found 76 times in the Septuagint (LXX) (Ex. 3:9; 22:21; 23:9; Lev. 19:33; 25:14, 17; 26:26; Deut. 23:16; 28:52-53, 55, 57; Jos. 19:47; Jdg. 4:3; 6:9; 8:34; 10:8-9, 12; 1 Sam. 10:18; 28:15; 30:6; 2 Sam. 13:2; 22:7; 1 Ki. 8:37; 2 Ki. 13:4; 2 Chr. 6:28; 28:22; 33:12; Ezra 4:1; Neh. 4:11; 9:27; Job 20:22; 36:15; Ps. 3:1; 13:4; 18:6; 23:5; 27:2, 12; 31:9; 42:10; 44:7; 56:1; 60:12; 69:17, 19; 78:42; 81:14; 102:2; 106:11, 42, 44; 107:6, 13, 19, 28; 120:1; 143:12; Isa. 11:13; 18:7; 19:20; 28:14; 29:7; 49:26; 51:13; Jer. 30:20; Lam. 1:3, 5, 7, 10, 17, 20; 2:17; Ezek. 18:18; Mic. 5:9). Here are a few representative uses... Exodus 3:9 And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing (Lxx = thlibo) them. Judges 4:3 And the sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed (Lxx = thlibo) the sons of Israel severely for twenty years. Judges 10:9 And the sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was greatly distressed (Lxx = thlibo). Judges 10:12 Also when the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed (Lxx = thlibo) you, you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hands. 1Samuel 10:18 and he said to the sons of Israel, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.' Psalm 18:6 In my distress (Lxx = thlibo = when I was afflicted) I called upon the LORD, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears. Psalm 69:17 And do not hide Thy face from Thy servant, For I am in distress (Lxx = thlibo); answer me quickly. Psalm 107:6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble (Lxx = thlibo used as a noun); He delivered them out of their distresses. Psalm 120:1 A Song of Ascents. In my trouble (Lxx = thlibo used as a noun) I cried to the LORD, And He answered me. Micah 5:9 Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries (Lxx = thlibo = "those who continually afflict you"), And all your enemies will be cut off. TDNT has this comment regarding the uses of thlibo (and thlipsis) in the ... 1. The theologically significant figurative use is common in the LXX for various Hebrew terms meaning a. “to distress,” b. “to treat with hostility,” c. “to afflict,” d. “to oppress,” and e. “to harass,” “be hostile to,” and even “destroy,” or, in the case of the noun, a. “trouble,” b. “distress,” c. “oppression,” “tribulation,” etc. 2. Both internal and external afflictions are in view, the former covering both distress and anxiety, the latter the afflictions of slaves or aliens, oppression by enemies, and such troubles as illness, desert wandering, and shipwreck. 3. Inner fear or anguish may be intended (cf. Gen. 42:21). 4. The terms acquire theological significance because the reference is usually to the distress of Israel (or the righteous), e.g., in Egypt (Ex. 4:31), or exile (Dt. 4:29). Often such distress is seen as a divine visitation on the people, so that we read of a present or future day of affliction (Isa 37:3; Hab. 3:16). 5. Yet the righteous also suffer various afflictions (enemies, sickness, etc.) from which God delivers them (cf. Ps 9:9; 32:7, etc.). In later Judaism afflictions are said to bring about repentance, increase merit, or achieve expiation for the self or others. (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans) Thlibo is used 10 times in the NT... Matthew 7:14 (note) "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow (thlibo - perfect tense = a contracted way, straitened way or compressed way and is the continual state of the way - cf John 14:6) that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Mark 3:9 And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the multitude, in order that they might not crowd (thlibo) Him; 2 Corinthians 1:6 But if we are afflicted (present tense, passive voice - continually being afflicted), it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 2 Corinthians 4:8 we are afflicted (present tense, passive voice - continually being afflicted) in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 2 Corinthians 7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 1Thessalonians 3:4 (note) For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who (present tense, active voice - continually) afflict you 7 and to give relief to you who are (present tense, passive voice - continually being) afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 1 Timothy 5:10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has assisted those in distress (thlibo used hear as a noun, literally means "those who are continually being afflicted"), and if she has devoted herself to every good work. Hebrews 11:37 (note) They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted (hard-pressed by their foes), ill-treated Why are trials and afflictions necessary? Such experiences endured in God's power and for His glory prepare us to be able to comfort others also. In addition, trials serve to purify our faith, Peter exhorting his readers... Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. (See notes 1Peter 4:12; 4:13) (Comment: Remember beloved that your trials are not sent to break you irreparably [although brokenness is often a "benefit" of trials - see Psalm 51:17 - Spurgeon's Note] but to reveal what is really inside and ultimately to conform you to the image of God's Son.) Richison reminds us that... Paul leveled with them that they would meet such things if they became Christians. He never misrepresented the difficulty in becoming a Christian. He never painted a rosy picture of a bed of ease. The Christian life demands confrontation. True Christianity is not convenient. (Ref) AND SO IT CAME TO PASS, AS YOU KNOW: (PPN) kathos kai egeneto (3SAMI) kai oidate. (2PRAI): (1Thes 2:2,14; Acts 17:1,5, 6, 7, 8, 9,13; 2Corinthians 8:1,2; 2Thessalonians 1:4, 5, 6) So (2531) (kathos) means as, just as, even as. Milligan has a similar use in a ancient secular Greek writing -- "that we will superintend the lamps of the above mentioned temples, as aforesaid" Came to pass (1096) (ginomai) is used essentially to describe what comes into existence. Here the foretold afflictions did in fact come into existence. Hiebert comments that with the phrase and so it came to pass Paul makes... an appeal to the exact fulfillment of their predictions. This verification of his words should encourage them and strengthen their faith. It was assurance that the missionaries knew what they were talking about. As you well know is a confirmatory appeal to the personal experience of his readers. They could personally testify that his predictions had been no empty saying. (Hiebert, D. Edmond: 1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996)(Bolding Added). Know (1492) (eido) literally means perception by sight (perceive, see) as in Mt 2:2 where the wise men "saw His star". It is the verb that describes absolute, positive, beyond a chance of a doubt type of knowing something. The perfect tense speaks of the permanence of their knowing. It refers to that quality of knowledge that is intuitive. It means to see with the mind’s eye, signifies a clear and purely mental perception. It describes one as having come to a perception or realization of something. Fausset rightly observes that... The correspondence of the event to the prediction powerfully confirms faith: “Forewarned, forearmed” [Edmunds]. The repetition of “ye know,” so frequently, is designed as an argument, that being forewarned of coming affliction, they should be less readily “moved” by it. Hendricksen agrees writing that... Afflictions that have been predicted, and that take place in accordance with this prediction, serve to strengthen faith. (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. NT Commentary Set. Baker Book or Logos) Trials are the norm in the "victorious" Christian life, but we can rest assured that the Refiner's hand is always on the thermostat. Trials for believers prove the reality of our faith, and weed out those who are mere professors (1Pe 1:7-note), enable us to comfort and encourage others who are going through trials (2Co 1:4), develop endurance in our character (Rom. 5:3), make us more zealous in spreading the gospel (Acts 4:29; 5:27, 28, 29: 8:3, 4) and help to remove the dross from our lives (Job 23:10-note;). 1Thessalonians 3:5 For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: dia touto kago meketi stegon (PAPMSN) epempsa (1SAAI) eis to gnonai (AAN) ten pistin humon, me pos epeirasen (3SAAI) humas o peirazon (PAPMSN) kai eis kenon genetai (2SAMS) o kopos hemon Amplified: That is the reason that, when I could bear [the suspense] no longer, I sent that I might learn [how you were standing the strain, and the endurance of] your faith, [for I was fearful] lest somehow the tempter had tempted you and our toil [among you should prove to] be fruitless and to no purpose. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) NLT: That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the Tempter had gotten the best of you and that all our work had been useless. (NLT - Tyndale House) Phillips: You will understand that, when the suspense became unbearable, I sent someone to find out how your faith was standing the strain, and to make sure that the tempter's activities had not destroyed our work. (Phillips: Touchstone) WBC: Therefore, because I for my part could hold out no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, lest the tempter should have (successfully) tempted you and our labor should be in vain. (Bruce) Wuest: Because of this, when I also could bear it no longer, I sent [him] that I might come to know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had solicited you to do evil and my labor would turn out to be in vain. (Eerdmans) Young's Literal: because of this also, I, no longer forbearing, did send to know your faith, lest he who is tempting did tempt you, and in vain might be our labour. FOR THIS REASON, WHEN I COULD ENDURE IT NO LONGER, I ALSO SENT TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR FAITH: dia touto kago meketi stegon (PAPMSN) epempsa (1SAAI) eis to gnonai (AAN) ten pistin humon: (1Thes 3:2,6; Acts 15:36; 2Corinthians 7:5, 6, 7) For this reason (dia touto) means in essence "since I knew that you were so liable to be persecuted, and since I feared that some might be turned from the truth by this opposition."