Bible Strands
1 Thessalonians 3:12
And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Thessalonian church between two prayers: one for his own travel to them (1 Thessalonians 3:11) and one for their spiritual establishment at Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 3:13).
The words — πλεονάσαι (pleonasai) means to increase, and περισσεύσαι (perisseusai) means to overflow or abound.
The thread — This prayer for abounding love connects to Philippians 1:9, where love grows in knowledge and insight, and aligns with the command to love one’s neighbor as oneself in Matthew 22:39 and Romans 13:8.
Why it lands — The text commands a mutual, expansive love that mirrors the apostles’ own love for the recipients, requiring readers to actively cultivate love toward both the community and outsiders.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
Cross-references
- Philippians 1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
- Romans 13:8 Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
- Matthew 22:39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
- 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.
- Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15 Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
- 1 John 3:11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9 Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
- Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.