2 Thessalonians 3:17

 2 Thessalonians 3:17

The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

a. NLT: HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. I DO THIS IN ALL MY LETTERS TO PROVE THEY ARE FROM ME.  [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: The salutation by the hand of me, Paul, which is a sign in every letter; thus I write; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified:  I, Paul, write you this final greeting with my own hand. This is the mark and sign [that it is not a forgery] in every letter of mine. It is the way I write [my handwriting and signature].  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “The salutation of Paul with mine own hand…”

a. The [Strong: 3588. [Ho] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [Ho] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

b. salutation [Strong: 783. aspasmos as-pas-mos' from 782; a greeting (in person or by letter):--greeting, salutation.

c. [Strong: 3588. [tē] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tē] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

d. [of] Paul [Strong: 3972. Paulos pow'-los of Latin origin; (little; but remotely from a derivative of 3973, meaning the same); Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle:--Paul, Paulus.

e. [with] mine own [Strong: 1699. emos em-os' from the oblique cases of 1473 (1698, 1700, 1691); my:--of me, mine (own), my.]

f. hand [Strong: 5495. cheir khire perhaps from the base of 5494 in the sense of its congener the base of 5490 (through the idea of hollowness for grasping); the hand (literally or figuratively (power); especially (by Hebraism) a means or instrument):--hand.]

2. “...which is the token in every epistle: so I write.”

a. which [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

b. is [Strong: 2076. esti es-tee' third person singular present indicative of 1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are:--are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, X dure for a while, + follow, X have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, X must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.]

c. [the] token [Strong: 4592. semeion say-mi'-on neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of 4591; an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally:--miracle, sign, token, wonder.

d. in [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.

e. every [Strong: 3956. pas pas including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

f. epistle [Strong: 1992. epistole ep-is-tol-ay' from 1989; a written message:--"epistle," letter.]

g. so [Strong: 3779. houto hoo'-to, or (before a vowel houtos hoo'-toce adverb from 3778; in this way (referring to what precedes or follows):--after that, after (in) this manner, as, even (so), for all that, like(-wise), no more, on this fashion(-wise), so (in like manner), thus, what.]

h. [I] write 1125. grapho graf'-o a primary verb; to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe:--describe, write(-ing, -ten).

1). Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers: The salutation.—At this point St. Paul takes the pen out of his secretary’s hand, and adds the closing words himself.

2). Perry Stone: At times, Paul would dictate his letters to others (such as Silas, Luke, or Timothy), but he always signed the letters he dictated to confirm himself as the writer. Perhaps he did this to separate actual documents from forgeries.