And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: Ye became followers of us - Ye became imitators, μιμηται, of us-ye believed the same truths, walked in the same way, and minded the same thing; knowing that our doctrine was of the Lord, and that the way in which we walked was prescribed by himself, and that he also suffered the contradictions of ungodly men.
Having received the word in much affliction - That they received the doctrine of the Gospel in the midst of much persecution we may learn from the history in general, and from Acts 17:5, Acts 17:6.
With joy of the Holy Ghost - The consolations which they received, in consequence of believing in Christ, more than counterbalanced all the afflictions which they suffered from their persecutors.