To the Thessalonians 1
Greeting
1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you all and peace.
The Thessalonians’ Faith and Example
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you all, making mention of you all in our prayers without ceasing, 3 remembering your work of faith and the labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ before our God and Father. 4 Knowing, brothers, being loved by God, He elected you all 5 because our gospel did not come to you all in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit in full assurance as you all know what sort of men we were among you all for your sake. 6 And you all became followers of us and the Lord, receiving the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you all became an example to all those believing in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For from you all, the word of the Lord sounded out not only in Macedonia and in Achaia but everywhere your faith in God has gone out, so that we do not have need to say anything. 9 For they themselves announce about us what manner of entrance we had among you all and how you all turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.
Paul's Ministry to the Thessalonians
2 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you all was not in vain, 2 but after suffering and being shamefully treated, as you all know, in Philippi we were bold in our God to declare to you all the gospel of God in much contention. 3 For our consolation was not from deceit or impurity or craftiness, 4 but as we have been approved by God to be committed unto the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing to man, but pleasing to God, proving our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you all know, nor pretexta of covetousness — God is witness. 6 Nor from men were we seeking glory, whether from you all or from others, 7 being burdensome as apostles of Christ. But we were infants in the midst of you all, as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you all, we are we'll pleased to share with you all not only the gospel of God, but also our souls because you all are beloved to us.
9 For remember, brothers, our labor and toil: night and day, working not to burden any of you all, preaching to you all the gospel of God. 10 You all are witnesses — and God also — how piousb and righteous and blameless we were to you believers. 11 For you all know, as each one of you all, like a father with his children, 12 beseeching and encouraging and witnessing you all to walk worthy of God, calling you all to His kingdom and glory.
13 And for this reason also, we thank God without ceasing because after receiving the word of God you all heard from us, you all received it not as a word of men, but as it is truly a word of God which also is at work in you believers. 14 For you all became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God being in Judea in Christ Jesus, since you all also suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they also did from the Jews — 15 and after killing the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and driving us out, and displeasing God, and opposing all mankind, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved — to fill up their sins always. But the wrath came upon them in the end.c
Paul's Longing to See Them Again
17 But we, brothers, after being taken from you all for a short time in person not in heart, we exceedingly endeavored to see your face with great desire. 18 Because we wish to come to you all — I, Paul, once and again — and Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting — is it not you all? — before our Lord Jesus in His coming? 20 For you all are our glory and joy.
3 Therefore, bearing it no longer, we were well pleased to be left in Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow workerd of God in the gospel of Christ, to establish and beseech you all in your faith 3 that no one be moved in these tribulations. For you yourselves know that we are appointed for them. 4 For when we were with you all, we were telling you all beforehand that we were about to suffer affliction as it came to be and as you all know. 5 For this reason, I also, bearing it no longer, sent to learn about your faith — not how the tempter tempted you all and our labor may be in vain.
Timothy's Encouraging Report
6 But now, Timothy, after coming to us from you all and bringing us the good news of your faith and love and that you all always have good remembrance of us, longing to see us exactly as we long to see you all 7 for this reason, we were comforted, brothers, about you all in all our distress and tribulation through your faith 8 since now we are alive if you all are persevering in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving are we able to repay to God about you all, for all the joy which we rejoice with for your sake before our God, 10 night and day, abundantly praying to see your faces and perfect what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may God Himself and our Father and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you all, 12 and may the Lord increase and abound you in love for one another and for all as we do for you all 13 to establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, in the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.
A Life Pleasing to God
4Finally then, brothers, we ask and beseech you all in the Lord Jesus that as you all received from us how it is necessary to walk and to please God, even as you all are walking that you all abound more. 2 For you all know what commands we gave to you all through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the desire of God: your sanctificatione, that you all abstain from illicit sexual intercourse, 4 that each one of you all know to masterf his own vesselg in holiness and honor, 5 not in passion of lust as the Gentiles who don't know God, 6 not to go beyond and gain unfair advantage in this matter over his brother because the Lord is an avenger in all of these things, even as we foretold and witnessedh to you all. 7 For God did not call us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore, the one despising this does not despise man, but God, giving even His Holy Spirit to you all.
9 Now, concerning brotherly love, you all do not have need anyone write to you all, for you yourselves are God—taught to love one another, 10 for you all also do that to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. We beseech you all, brothers, abound even more, 11 and to be ambitiousi to be at restj and to practice your own affairs and to work with your own hands as we commanded you all 12 in order that you all may walk properlyk before outsiders and have need of no one.
The Coming of the Lord
13 But we do not want you all to be uniformed, brothers, about those who fell asleep in order that you all may not grieve as the others who do not have hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also God will bring with Him through Jesus those who fell asleep. 15 For this, we say to you all in a word of the Lord that we are the living and remaining until the coming of the Lord, not coming beforel those who fell asleep. 16 Since the Lord Himself, in a commandm, in the voice of an archangel, and in the sound of the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we, the living and remaining, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, comfort one another in these words.
The Day of the Lord
5 Now, concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you all do not have need to be written to. 2 For you yourselves accurately know that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains to a pregnant womann, and they will not escape.o 4 But you all, brothers, are not in darkness that the day might surprise you all like a thief. 5 For all of you all are children of light and children of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. 6 So then, we should not sleepp as the others do but should keep awake and be sober. 7 For those sleeping sleep at night, and those getting drunk are drunk at night. 8 But we are of the day. We should be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not appointed us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us in order that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live with Him. 11 Therefore, comfort one another and build up one another as you all also are doing.
Final Instructions and Benediction
12 But we ask you all, brothers, to know those laboring among you all and ruling over you all in the Lord and admonish you all, 13 and to esteem them abundantly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 But we beseech you all, brothers, admonish those who are disorderlyq, comfort those who are fainthearted, help the weak, be patient to them all. 15 See no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good, even to one another and to everyone. 16 r Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 Give thanks in all things, for this is the desire of God in Christ Jesus for you all. 19 Do not quenchs the Spirit. 20 Do not despiset prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every appearance of evil.
23 Now, may the God of peace Himself sanctify you all completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be blamelessly kept in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The One calling you all is faithful; and He will do it.
25 Brothers, pray even for us.
26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
27 I put you all under an oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.