1 Thessalonians 1:7

“So that ye were ensamples to all that believe, etc.] They were not only followers of Christ and his apostles, whom they took for examples of faith, holiness, courage, meekness, and patience; but they were patterns of good works; and of suffering afflictions to other believers, even to all that knew them, or heard of them, particularly in Macedonia; as at Philippi and other places: though the Gospel was first preached there, and they had received it, and a Gospel church state was formed there; yet these were more forward in the exercise of grace and discharge of duty, and were even ensamples to them to copy after; so the first are sometimes last, and the last first: and Achaia; another part…”

“ensamples--So some of the oldest manuscripts read. Others, "ensample" (singular), the whole Church being regarded as one. The Macedonian Church of Philippi was the only one in Europe converted before the Thessalonians. Therefore he means their past conduct is an ensample to all believers now; of whom he specifies those "in Macedonia" because he had been there since the conversion of the Thessalonians, and had left Silvanus and Timotheus there; and those in "Achaia," because he was now at Corinth in Achaia.”

“So that ye were ensamples to all that believe - Examples in reference to the firmness with which you embraced the gospel, the fidelity with which you adhered to it in trials, and the zeal which you showed in spreading it abroad. These things are specified in the previous and subsequent verses as characterizing their piety. The word here rendered “ensamples” - τύπον tupon, singular - is that from which the word type is derived. It properly denotes anything caused or produced by the means of “blows” (from τύπτω tuptō), and hence a mark, print, or impression, made by a stamp or die; and then a resemblance, figure, pattern, exemplar - a model after which anything is made. This is the meaning…”

“1:7-8 ringing out: The example of the Thessalonians’ faith and their proclamation of the Good News was heard throughout the provinces of Macedonia and Achaia.”

“ensamples: Th1 4:10; Ti1 4:12; Tit 2:7; Pe1 5:3 in: Th1 1:8; Act 16:12, Act 1:13, Act 18:1; Co2 1:1, Co2 9:2, Co2 11:9, Co2 11:10 1 Thessalonians 1:8”