2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 Breakdown

1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.

Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for the apostles. He asks for the apostles to be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. He then points out, not all men have faith.

3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

YHWH will encourage you, presumably through the Holy Spirit. He will also guard you from the evil one, so long as you believe and have faith in Him.

4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.

The apostles are confident the Thessalonians will do and have been doing the things the apostles told them to do. These things come straight from Scripture.

5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

YHWH is the director of the hearts of the Thessalonians toward love and the patience of Yeshua’s return.

6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which they received from us.

Paul tells them not to associate with men who “walk” disorderly and against the traditions given to them by the apostles. The word walk used here is significant considering Paul has used it several times before in his letters to the Thessalonians and the original Hebrew meaning of the word. Again, the traditions Paul and the apostles were teaching were the very same traditions Yeshua kept while He walked on the earth. They are the traditions of the Father, found in the Torah. There is absolutely no way around this fact.

7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

The Thessalonians already know how to follow the apostles. The apostles made sure not to burden anyone while in the city. They walked as an example of how to behave. This is exactly what Yeshua did and this is what Paul says.

1 Corinthians 11:1

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

It is clear, we are to be following the example set by Christ. Paul did this and commanded all believers to do the same.

10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

Paul paraphrases from several passages of the Old Testament here and he says the apostles commanded it this way. Again, I see this as reinforcement for the idea Paul was preaching the traditions of YHWH against the traditions of men.

Genesis 3:19

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Proverbs 13:4

The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Proverbs 20:4

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Proverbs 21:25

The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.

There seems to have been an issue with men choosing not to work but wanting everything for free. They preferred to go around stirring up trouble such as arguments and dissentions.

12 Now those who are such we command and encourage through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

Those who choose to go around causing problems should be removed from the group. They are not welcome at the gatherings and should stay home to eat their own food alone.

13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

True believers should not allow themselves to become drained or tired of doing good works.

14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.

If any of the believers are not following or obeying the commands Paul is sending in this letter, they should be shunned from the group and be ashamed of their unrighteous deeds.

15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Even doing this, he is not an enemy, but should be warned to turn away from sinful deeds.

16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

Paul gives his closing salutation.

17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.

He points out it is his letter based on his signature.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Paul’s ending.

2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 Breakdown

1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.

Paul now transitions into a very seriously debated issue, even to this day. He is talking about the coming together of all believers to Yeshua, also known as the “rapture”. He tells them not to be worried in their thoughts because that day, the second coming, had not yet come. There was a group of people going from city to city making the claim Christ had already come and these believers had been “left behind."

3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Paul repeats a phrase Yeshua uttered several times in “do not be deceived”. Christ will not return until after a list of things have taken place.

1.       The falling away from scripture and God must take place. In the two thousand years since Christ's death and resurrection, there has been a closeness to YHWH across the world for the most part, but specifically across the western world. It hasnt been until the last 50 years or so that the falling away has begun and very recently it has become very obvious. It seems as of late, blatant disregard for all aspects of YHWH's Word. We can quite literally see things the YHWH called good being called bad and things YHWH called bad, being called good. Praise is given to things that not that long ago were considered an outright sin. This falling away is just the beginning and I anticipate it getting much worse before it gets better. 

2.       The man of lawlessness is revealed (the antichrist is known). I do not believe we have seen who this man is just yet. There are a few candidates, but I am not sold on any of them yet. I believe we wont know until things get so incredibly bad, unlike anything we have ever endured before (we are well on our way now).

3.       The AC sits in the temple of God pretending to be God

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?

Paul says he has already told the Thessalonians about these things. I am speculating here, but I imagine Paul was able to go into much more detail about all these things. If we are to pull from the Old Testament prophecies, as Paul did, we can put together a colorful and clear picture of what to expect in the AC. 

6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.

The Thessalonians already know what is restraining the antichrist, and the antichrist will be revealed when he is destined to be revealed.

7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

There is a mystery of lawlessness and it has been at play since before Paul wrote this letter. The restrainer will continue to do so until someone or something removes him.

8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

The Antichrist will not be revealed until the restrainer is removed. YHWH will completely destroy the Antichrist with fire at the second coming.

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

The Antichrist is coming to do the works of Satan. He will come bearing power, signs, and deceiving miracles. This will be done with unrighteous deception in front of those who will perish due to their lack of belief in the truth of scripture or lack of knowing God.

11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Because they choose to not have belief, they will be sent a strong mental straying from the truth that they will believe as truth. This will cause them to be condemned, all who took pleasure in the unrighteous lie. Satan will put forth the delusion and will be carried out even further by the Antichrist.  

13 But we are under obligation to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through being set apart by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The apostles, however, are under obligation to continue to give thanks to God for the Thessalonians, even if they fall victim to some lies. Paul says YHWH chose the Thessalonians for salvation because they are being set apart from the world by the spirit and belief in truth. To be set apart is very interesting terminology as well. It means to be different, and if they are being set apart from the rest of the world, and we know the rest of the world hates God’s Law, and we know God wants us to keep His law, they are becoming set apart by their continued keeping of His Law.  

15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Paul calls on the Thessalonians to continue to hold on to the traditions the apostles taught them, and conversely throw out or rid themselves of the traditions of men. YHWH gave us His Torah as instructions on how he wants us to live.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and work.

Paul requests Yeshua and YHWH the Father comfort the Thessalonians and strengthen them in all good word and works.

2 Thessalonians Chapter 1 Breakdown

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A greeting to the Thessalonians from Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus.

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Thessalonians faith continually grows and their love for one another continues to grow as well.  

The apostles boast about these men because of the patience and faith they show during persecution and tribulation. Paul then says something very important. He says the evidence of the Thessalonians righteous judgment of God is their patience through tribulation. He also says they will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God because they suffer. A take away from that point is that all of us as believers should not only expect to live through persecution and tribulation due to our faith, but hope for it because our endurance is the evidence showing us worthy. 

Yeshua will take vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not OBEY the gospel of Yeshua the Messiah.

This means we as believers must submit to the gospel taught by Christ. I have more about what the Gospel is in another blog.

9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.

Those who are not obeying what Christ taught as well as those who do not know YHWH will be punished by never ending death away from YHWH.

These will be separated from those who did believe in the testimony of the apostles.

11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The apostles continually pray for the Thessalonians. They pray for specific things. 1. YHWH counts them worthy of His calling, 2. He fulfills all the good pleasures of His goodness and the work of faith with power, and 3. The name of Yeshua is glorified in them as well as them in Him. They do all this in accordance with His grace.

1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 Breakdown

1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

The Apostles are asking the Thessalonians to call near Yeshua in order to abound more similarly to how the apostles show them how to walk to please YHWH. The apostles gave them commandments to follow because of what Yeshua accomplished.

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.

The will of YHWH is your purification. To achieve that is to refrain from sexual immorality. 

Everyone should understand how to handle themselves concerning Holiness and honor of God instead of handling themselves with out of lust. Gentiles, those who do not know God, do this.

You should not make a gain from another brother in business.  YHWH will avenge such actions.

7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

Believers are not called to uncleanness, but holiness. There is a distinction between uncleanness and holiness made here. Referring to the Old Testament, uncleanness is to be defiled, and in order to be defiled is to commit sin. Sin is the transgression or breaking of God’s law. Now, we also know to be holy is to keep God’s law. It seems very likely Paul is saying here we are called to keep God’s law, and not to live unclean sinful lives like the gentiles do.

1 John 3:4

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness

Romans 6:19

I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

Romans 7:12

So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

If the Law is holy then our keeping it should make us holy as well.

8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

The man who rejects the idea of abstaining from uncleanness and striving for holiness is rejecting YHWH, not men. YHWH gave us His Holy Spirit for this purpose.

Ezekiel 36:27

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

All of this is directly connected with each other. The Old Testament and the New is all about getting God’s people to return to His law.

9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

The Thessalonians do not need to be reminded about loving one another. They are urged to increase their numbers. There is no need for a wild loud life. Men should be happy with a quiet life minding one’s own business and walking properly toward outsiders. Again we see this word walking and I again attribute it to walking in the ways of YHWH, as in keeping His commands.

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

Do not be ignorant concerning those who have already died. You should not be so sad they are gone like those who have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

Because Yeshua died and rose again, we can know YHWH will also bring those who have died as believers.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

Paul makes an amazing statement here. Those who have already died will be taken to YHWH before those who remain alive at the second coming.

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Yeshua will come down from heaven with a loud cry, the voice of the archangel will be heard as well as YHWH’s trumpet sound. At that point, the dead with rise first, before the living. We see clearly here it is the second coming where Yeshua descends from heaven when the dead in Christ are raised up.

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

It will be after the second coming of Yeshua and the raising of the dead in Christ when all those who are still alive will be taken up to the clouds where they will remain with YHWH forever.

18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Knowing this, do have hope and do not be so sorrowful about those who have died.

1 Thessalonians Chapter 3 Breakdown

1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

Timothy was sent to help encourage the Thessalonians throughout their persecution. All who believe in YHWH are appointed to afflictions during this life. As you will read in the following passages, because we are not of this world after having believed, the world will hate us. Believers will be different and set apart from the rest of the world. They do not fit in.

John 15:18-21

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

Matthew 24:9

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

Matthew 10:22

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.

Paul states we had already told them tribulation would come upon them.

5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.

Paul became worried the Thessalonians would be tempted into forgetting their faith.

This shows, we are under constant attack from Satan and there is a real possibility of falling away from YHWH after knowing Him.

6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you— therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith.

Timothy has already went to and come back from Thessalonica at the time of this writing. The apostles are comforted from the report Timothy gave to them.

8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

So long as you stand fast in YHWH, we will live.

9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?

The apostles pray they will be able to perfect what is lacking in the faith of the Thessalonians.

11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.

Paul wants YHWH to bring them to Thessalonica.

12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

Paul prays YHWH increases the love for one another of the Thessalonians in order to establish a blameless heart in each of these men at the second coming of Yeshua.

1 Thessalonians Chapter 2 Breakdown

1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.

The Thessalonians understand the Apostles came with truth and purpose.

2 But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.

The Apostles were treated with violence in Philippi, but they held fast to their convictions to continue to preach the gospel of YHWH during their heavy conflict.

3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.

The urging of the Apostles was not deceit, in error, nor was it out of uncleanness.

I find it interesting Paul uses the term uncleanness here because Paul only knew the Old Testament and the Old Testament usage of the word unclean is defined as defiled or foul. This means even after Christ’s death on the cross, there was still uncleanness or defiled things in this world. Basically, not every single sin is wiped clean, not all uncleanness was made clean.

4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.

The Apostles have been approved by YHWH with teaching the Gospel. They do not teach a message which is pleasing to men, but a message pleasing to YHWH and YHWH can then test the hearts of men to see if they truly love Him.

This verse is absolutely fascinating to me. Considering for example the earlier idea of unclean. Take for example swine. We all know swine was considered unclean in the Old Testament. Now, let’s get real here, it is men who want swine flesh to be clean because it is men who love their bacon, sausage and ham. It is pleasing to men to go against the Old Testament law and say swine is now clean. Just something to consider. The masses of men are not and never have been pleased in the ways of YHWH. The masses much prefer the ways of the world, which directly contradict the ways of our Father in heaven.

5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness.

Paul and the apostles did not flatter the men they spoke with while teaching the gospel. They also did not attempt to make something that is not the case appear true. They call YHWH as witness. 

Considering men do not prefer the law of God, especially men who were engulfed in the pagan ways of the world, to not lie to them and to not flatter them simply means they came at them with the truth of God and told them they must change their ways to fit His word.

6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.

The apostles were not looking for attention from men. They had the ability to demand certain attention and preferential treatment because of the message they were bringing.

7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

Instead, the apostles treated those who they taught as children whom they loved.

8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

The apostles truly love the Thessalonians and gave them the gospel along with themselves.

9 For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

The apostles did everything they could in order to not be a burden to the Thessalonians. They pulled their own weight while in the city.

10 You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

The Thessalonians are witnesses to the honest behavior of the apostles while they were with them. 

They treated all the people as their own children in order to show them how to walk worthy of God.

Exodus 16:4

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.

Again interesting parallels between Paul’s writings and the Old Testament keep popping up throughout the New Testament. YHWH wants us to walk in His law, meaning to obey it. Paul talks about his teachings showing men how to walk worthy of God. The terminology used in both is so very similar, I find it difficult to understand this as meaning something new or different.

13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of 

God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

Because the Thessalonians received their message as truth and not simply ideas of men, the apostles thank YHWH endlessly. This word also has been working within the Thessalonians.

14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

The Thessalonians became like the church of YHWH within Judea in terms of following their example. The Thessalonians had went through many of the same persecution as those in Judea. Men from Thessalonica were killing others who believed and preached the gospel of YHWH. They implemented laws forbidding the teaching of salvation to gentiles. All this was attributed to them as sin.

17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.

The apostles have a strong desire to return to Thessalonica physically, but state they have been with them in heart the whole time.

18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.

Satan has been keeping Paul and the others away from the Thessalonians.

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.

The Thessalonians are the glory and joy of the apostles because of their belief in the word of YHWH.

1 Thessalonians Chapter 1 Breakdown

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul states all three of the authors of this letter. Seemingly showing they are all in agreement with the following content.

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

Thanks is given for the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians have works of faith, they are slaves of love, and have a patience for hope, and a sense of knowing they are elected by God.

This is interesting to me because it shows immediately the Thessalonians do the works of God because they have faith, not because they are forced. It also shows they go through turmoil and persecution because of their love for God.

5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

The gospel was not just words to them, but also brought to them power in the word, and the Holy Spirit was granted to them. They understood who the Apostles were when they came to Thessalonica.

6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

The Thessalonians were able to become followers of the Apostles and YHWH because they received the word by great tribulations but they received it with the joy of the Holy Spirit nevertheless. They became the examples for others in the region.

8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.

It was because of Thessalonica, the word of YHWH had gone out beyond just the two mentioned cities. Thessalonica had been able to be the example needed for word to spread before the disciples showed up in new towns.

9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

These new towns share with the disciples how Thessalonica turned away from the idols and started worshiping YHWH and how they now wait for Yeshua’s return to rescue all believers from the wrath of YHWH that will come.