2 Thessalonians 3:17

17 The greeting [is] by my hand, Paul's, which is {a sign of genuineness} in every letter: {this is how I write}.

2 Thessalonians 3:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Thessalonians 3:17

The salutation of Paul with mine own hand
In writing his epistles, the body and substance of them he used an amanuensis, but the salutation he wrote with his own hand:

which is the token in every epistle;
by which they might be known to be true and genuine, and be distinguished from counterfeit ones: and the rather he mentions this, that they might be troubled neither by word, nor by spirit, nor by epistle, as from them, as they had been, ( 2 Thessalonians 2:2 ) for it seems that this wicked practice of counterfeiting the epistles of the apostles, or carrying about spurious ones, under their name, began so early; to prevent which, the apostle took this method,

so I write,
as follows:

2 Thessalonians 3:17 In-Context

15 And do not consider [him] as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself grant you peace through everything in every way. [May] the Lord [be] with all of you.

17 The greeting [is] by my hand, Paul's, which is {a sign of genuineness} in every letter: {this is how I write}.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with all of you.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "a sign"
• [b] Literally "in this way I write"