For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.
"This section of the letter begins with the second thanksgiving in a series of three (1 Thessalonians 1:2-5; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13) that dominate the tone of the first three chapters." [Note: Martin, pp. 85-86. See also Wanamaker’s discussion of this digression, pp. 109-10.] 