1 Thessalonians 1:6 (GNV)

Passage

And ye became followers of vs, and of the Lord, and receiued the worde in much affliction, with ioy of the holy Ghost,

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 1:4 Knowing, beloued brethren, that ye are elect of God.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our Gospell was not vnto you in worde only, but also in power, and in the holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as ye know after what maner we were among you for your sakes.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of vs, and of the Lord, and receiued the worde in much affliction, with ioy of the holy Ghost,

1 Thessalonians 1:7 So that ye were as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia and in Achaia.

1 Thessalonians 1:8 For from you sounded out the worde of the Lord, not in Macedonia and in Achaia only: but your faith also which is toward God, spred abroad in all quarters, that we neede not to speake any thing.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "became", "followers", "lord", "receiued", "worde", "much", "affliction", and "holy". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "became" and "followers", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "For our Gospell was not vnto you..." into verse 7's "So that ye were as ensamples to...", so "became" and "followers" 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 "became" and "followers" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.