The play on words mentioned above is reproduced in many English translations (from King James Version to Translator’s New Testament) and by some translations in other languages (e. g. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). There are, however, two reasons for avoiding it in English, and one or both of them may apply in other languages also. (1) It may be good to follow Good News Translation in replacing “faith” in verse 2 by a related verb like “believe,” in order to show that Paul is speaking of an event. (2) Faithful is gradually falling out of nonliterary English, except in a number of set phrases, most of which refer to an inferior’s relationship with his superior (“faithful servant,” “faithful dog,” though not “faithful husband/wife”). This term is therefore not very appropriate in speaking of God’s relationship with men. Phillips “the Lord is utterly to be depended upon” brings out the meaning well, at a slightly higher language level (cf. Barclay “you can rely on the Lord to strengthen you”). In addition to these two factors, the ability to reproduce plays on words in translation depends entirely on the resources of the receptor language, and meaning must have priority over formal and stylistic features.

Most translations, both traditional and modern, translate the Greek conjunction de here as “but,” since there is a clear contrast between the faithlessness of the wicked men in verse 2 and the faithfulness of Christ or God. If the play on words is not retained, there is a rather less specific contrast between the wicked men and God. In order to point up the contrast, it may be possible to restructure but the Lord is faithful by rendering this expression as “but you can trust the Lord completely.” Here, however, the contrast must be between not everyone and you. It is not between the message and the Lord. In some languages the Lord is faithful must be semantically restructured, since in reality the Lord is the goal of the process of trusting, and people are the ones who trust. In many languages expressions for trust or dependence are quite idiomatic in form, for example, “you may lean on the Lord,” “you may put your hand on the Lord,” or “the Lord will always hold you up.”

A literal rendering of he will strengthen you might suggests mere physical strength. It is better in some instances to render this as “he will cause your hearts to be strong,” or “he will strengthen your wills.” The strength here is obviously not physical, but psychological and spiritual. On strengthen see 1 Thess. 3.2.

Here as in verse 2 (rescue), the translator must avoid the suggestion that Christ will make it possible for the Thessalonians to avoid persecution completely. Paul knows that persecution is already going on and cannot be avoided, but he is confident that Christ will keep both him and the Thessalonian Christians safe in the midst of these attacks. The expression keep you safe from the Evil One must be inverted in a number of languages, for example, “prevent the Evil One from harming you,” or “cause that the Evil One will not harm you,” or “… make you suffer.”

The last words may mean either the Evil One or “evil.” (The same ambiguity is found in Matthew 5.37, and in the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6.13.) Translations are divided: Moffatt New English Bible Jerusalem Bible Barclay cf. Bijbel in Gewone Taal (“the devil”) Bible en français courant La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée Le Nouveau Testament. Version Synodale Bible de Jérusalem Traduction œcuménique de la Bible agree with Good News Translation, while King James Version Knox Revised Standard Version Phillips Translator’s New Testament cf. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy have “evil.” (German translations, like the original, can have both meanings. Revised Standard Version Translator’s New Testament Jerusalem Bible La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée Bible de Jérusalem Traduction œcuménique de la Bible give the other possible translation in a note.) The arguments for each translation are rather evenly balanced. It is at least clear that the idea of a completely impersonal power of evil is foreign to Paul’s thought. The wider context, especially 2.6-9, refers to the Wicked One in clearly personal terms. The narrower context, on the other hand, which has just mentioned wicked men, would support a more general translation “evil,” thus covering attacks from either human or supernatural powers. Ancient Jewish writings speak of an “evil impulse.” This idea is relevant if Paul is now thinking, not of attacks from outside the Christian community (as in v. 2), nor even of disturbances within it (as in vv. 6 ff.), but of attacks from within the individual. “Evil” therefore seems slightly preferable to the Evil One (cf. Knox “he will strengthen you, and keep you from all harm”).

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .