Paul's Request For Their Prayers

As he did in his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul used the word "finally" meaning, "as for the rest." Paul asked them to pray for him but with the desire that others be benefitted. He asked that prayers continually be offered requesting that the gospel be spread to all men. As it was spread, Paul also wanted them to pray that it would triumph, or meet with success, with those men as it had in the lives of the Thessalonian brethren.

Shepherd believes Paul was at Corinth as he wrote this letter and the vision he had from the Lord there and Gallio's quick response may have been a direct answer to brethren's prayers that he be delivered (Acts 18:7-17). No matter whether such was the case or not, it clearly is an example of the way God can help by working through men even in a non-miraculous way. Coffman quotes Adam Clarke and George Howard to prove the word "faith" here is our word "trustworthiness", or "fidelity". This can apply to those claiming to be God's people as well as those outside of God's children (Romans 9:6). Paul's desire was that these men who lacked trustworthiness be stopped so that the gospel could be furthered (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

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