1 Thessalonians 1:6 (DBY)

Passage

and *ye* became our imitators, and of the Lord, having accepted the word in much tribulation with joy of [the] Holy Spirit,

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 1:4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, your election.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our glad tidings were not with you in word only, but also in power, and in [the] Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; even as ye know what we were among you for your sakes:

1 Thessalonians 1:6 and *ye* became our imitators, and of the Lord, having accepted the word in much tribulation with joy of [the] Holy Spirit,

1 Thessalonians 1:7 so that ye became models to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia:

1 Thessalonians 1:8 for the word of the Lord sounded out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith which [is] towards God has gone abroad, so that we have no need to say anything;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "became", "imitators", "lord", "having", "accepted", "word", and "much". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "became", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "For our glad tidings were not with..." into verse 7's "so that ye became models to all...", so "Spirit" and "became" belong inside that flow. In 1 Thessalonians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "became" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.