Paul Commends the Thessalonians for their Reputation

In this last of three reasons for his gratitude to God for blessing the Thessalonians, Paul exhorts and praises them for their strong testimony of perseverance under affliction that had been carried throughout the Roman Empire. Telling the Thessalonians that word of their perseverance was coming from people who had heard of their plight, Paul is anxious for them to know that, unbeknownst to them, their witness had resulted in many people speaking well of them.