SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:18
Por lo cual quisimos ir a vosotros, yo Pablo a la verdad, una y otra vez; pero Satans nos estorb.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 2:18
Verse 18. Even I Paul] He had already sent Timothy and Silas to them; but he himself was anxious to see them, and had purposed this once and again, but Satan hindered; i.e., some adversary, as the word means, whether the devil himself, or some of his children. There was, however, such a storm of persecution raised up against him, that his friends did not think it prudent to permit him to go till the storm had been somewhat allayed.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. Wherefore we would have come unto you , etc.] They not only had a will, and purposed in themselves, and entered into some resolutions to come unto them, but endeavoured to put them into execution: even I Paul : as well as Silas and Timothy; the latter of which had been with them, and the others had as good a will, and especially Paul: and that once and again : or once and twice so the Jews used to speak jyynw hnwar [p , one time and a second; that is, several times: but Satan hindered us . The Syriac and Ethiopic versions read, hindered me; by moving the mob which rose at Thessalonica, to go to Berea, and disturb the apostle there; which obliged him, contrary to his will, to go to Athens instead of returning to Thessalonica, as he intended; and when at Athens, from whence also he might purpose to return thither, he was hindered by the disputes the Jews and the Stoics, and Epicurean philosophers, had with him; and after that, might be prevented by the lying in wait of the Jews for him, of which he might be informed; or by disturbances raised in the church, or churches where he was, by the false teachers; which required his stay with them, to oppose and refute error and heresy and to make up differences that arose among true Christians, fomented by Satan and his emissaries; (see Romans 1:13). Satan does all he can to hinder the preaching of the Gospel, the hearing of the word, the profession of religion, and the saints coming together, and having spiritual conversation with each other; being, as his name Satan signifies, an enemy to Christ and his interest, and to the souls of men: indeed he can do nothing but by divine permission, nor can he hinder the will of God, and the execution of that, though he often hinders the will of man, or man from doing his will; he hindered the apostle from doing what he willed and purposed, but he did not hinder the will of God, which was that Paul should be employed in other work elsewhere.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-20 - This world is not a place where we are to be always, or long together In heaven holy souls shall meet, and never part more. And though the apostle could not come to them yet, and thought he might never be able to come, yet our Lord Jesus Christ will come; nothing shall hinde that. May God give faithful ministers to all who serve him with their spirit in the gospel of his Son, and send them to all who are i darknes __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
διο 1352 ηθελησαμεν 2309 5656 ελθειν 2064 5629 προς 4314 υμας 5209 εγω 1473 μεν 3303 παυλος 3972 και 2532 απαξ 530 και 2532 δις 1364 και 2532 ενεκοψεν 1465 5656 ημας 2248 ο 3588 σατανας 4567
Vincent's NT Word Studies
18. We would (hqelhsamen). Implying more than a mere inclination or desire. It was our will to come. See on Matt. i. 19.
I Paul. Not implying any less desire on the part of his associates, but emphasising his own. See on the use of the epistolary plural, ch. i. 2. Satan (Satanav). From the Aramaic Satana, adversary. In the canonical LXX the name appears only three times, 1 Kings xi. 14, 23, 25, and in each case is applied to a man. In LXX diabolov is used, almost without exception, as the translation of the Hebrews Satan. Of 22 instances of diabolov only 9 are outside of the book of Job. From the more general conception of an adversary, there is, in the O.T., a gradual development toward that of an evil personality. For instance, in 2 Sam. xxiv. 1, the numbering of the people is ascribed to the anger of the Lord. The later historian, in 1 Chron. xxi. 1, ascribes the act to Satan. See also Job, Wisd. ii. 24; Zech.iii. 1. The specialising of the conception was due, in part, to the contact of the Jews with the religions of Babylon and Persia. In N.T. Satan appears as the personal spirit of evil - the same who is called the devil, the wicked one, the prince of the power of the air, the prince of this world, the serpent, the God of this world, the tempter. He tempts to evil, opposes God's work, inspires evil dispositions, torments God's people. The word Satan occurs only once in the Fourth Gospel, not in the Epistles, but often in Revelation. Mark never uses diabolov, Matthew never Satan. Paul seldom diabolov, often Satan. Satan alone in Pastorals. Luke uses both. It is clear that Paul here as elsewhere employs the word in a personal sense; but any attempt to base the doctrine of a personal devil on this and similar passages is unsafe.
Hindered (enekoyen). See on 1 Pet. iii. 7.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:18 {Because} (dioti). As in #2:8. {We would fain have come to you} (eqelesamen elqein pros humas). First aorist active indicative of qelw. Literally, {we desired to come to you. I Paul} (egw men paulos). Clear example of literary plural eqelesamen with singular pronoun egw. Paul uses his own name elsewhere also as in #2Co 10:1; Ga 5:2; Col 1:23; Eph 3:1; Phm 1:19. {Once and again} (kai hapax kai dis). {Both once and twice} as in #Php 4:16. Old idiom in Plato. {And Satan hindered us} (kai enekoyen hemas ho satanas). Adversative use of kai= but or and yet. First aorist active indicative of enkoptw, late word to cut in, to hinder. Milligan quotes papyrus example of third century, B.C. Verb used to cut in a road, to make a road impassable. So Paul charges Satan with cutting in on his path. Used by Paul in #Ac 24:4; Ga 5:7 and passive enekoptomen in #Ro 15:22; 1Pe 3:7. this hindrance may have been illness, opposition of the Jews in Corinth, what not.
