1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace.
1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
1:3 Always remembering your work of faith, and labour of love, and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of our God and Father;
1:4 Knowing, brethren loved by God, that he has chosen you.
1:5 For our gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction. You know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
1:6 And you became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word despite much affliction, with joy from the Holy Spirit:
1:7 So that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
1:8 For from you the word of the Lord sounded out not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has spread abroad; so that we need not speak anything.
1:9 For they themselves testify about what manner of reception we had from you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God;
1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, that is, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
2:1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain:
2:2 But even after we had already suffered, and were shamefully treated, as you know, in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God despite much opposition.
2:3 For our exhortation does not spring from error, or impurity, or guile:
2:4 But just as we were approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.
2:5 For at no time did we use either flattering words, as you know, or a cloak for greed; as God is witness:
2:6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have asserted our authority, as the apostles of Christ.
2:7 But we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cherishes her children:
2:8 So having a yearning affection for you, we were willing to impart to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
2:9 For you remember, brethren, our toil and hardship: we laboured night and day, because we did not want to burden any of you as we preached to you the gospel of God.
2:10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how holy and just and blameless was our behaviour toward you who believe:
2:11 Just as you know how we exhorted and comforted and implored every one of you, as a father does his children,
2:12 That you would walk in a manner worthy of God, who has called you into his kingdom and glory.
2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which performs its work in you who believe.
2:14 For you, brethren, became followers of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judaea: for you also have suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they have from the Jews:
2:15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us. They do not please God, and oppose all men,
2:16 By hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved, thus always filling up their sins to the limit: but wrath has come upon them at last.
2:17 But we, brethren, having been torn from you for a short time, in person, not in heart, endeavoured all the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face.
2:18 Therefore, we wanted to come to you, and I, Paul, more than once; but Satan hindered us.
2:19 For what is our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? Is it not even you?
2:20 For you are our glory and joy.
3:1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
3:2 And sent Timothy, our brother, and fellow-worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you in your faith:
3:3 That no man should be disturbed by these afflictions: for you yourselves know that we are destined for this.
3:4 For truly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we should suffer tribulation; just as it came to pass, as you know.
3:5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to learn of your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labour might have been in vain.
3:6 But now that Timothy has come from you to us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and love, and reported that you always remember us kindly, greatly desiring to see us, as we also desire to see you:
3:7 Therefore, brethren, in the midst of our affliction and distress, we were comforted about you because of your faith:
3:8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
3:9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy which we have before our God because of you;
3:10 Night and day praying earnestly that we might see your face, and might supply that which is lacking in your faith?
3:11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you.
3:12 And may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
3:13 So that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus [Christ] with all his saints.
4:1 Furthermore, we urge you, brethren, and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have learned from us how you ought to walk and to please God, as indeed you are doing, so you would do more and more.
4:2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
4:3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality,
4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his own vessel in holiness and honour;
4:5 Not in the lust of passion, as the Gentiles who do not know God:
4:6 That no man might transgress and defraud his brother in any matter: because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, as we also have told you and warned you.
4:7 For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
4:8 Therefore, he who rejects this, does not reject man, but God, who has also given you his Holy Spirit.
4:9 But regarding brotherly love you do not need any one to write to you: for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
4:10 And indeed you do love all the brethren who are in all Macedonia: but we urge you, brethren, that you do so more and more;
4:11 And that you aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
4:12 That you may behave properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
4:13 Now I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not sorrow, as others who have no hope.
4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus.
4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who are asleep.
4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write to you.
5:2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night.
5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction shall come upon them, as birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that this day should overtake you as a thief.
5:5 You are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do; but let us watch and be sober.
5:7 For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who get drunk, get drunk in the night.
5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
5:9 For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
5:11 Therefore, comfort one another, and build one another up, just as you are doing.
5:12 And we urge you, brethren, to respect those who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
5:13 And esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are idle or unruly, encourage the timid, support the weak, be patient toward all.
5:15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil; but always seek that which is good, both for yourselves, and for all men.
5:16 Rejoice always.
5:17 Pray without ceasing.
5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
5:19 Do not quench the Spirit.
5:20 Do not despise prophesying.
5:21 Test all things; hold fast that which is good.
5:22 Abstain from all forms of evil.
5:23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
5:24 Faithful is he who calls you, who also will do it.
5:25 Brethren, pray for us.
5:26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brethren.
5:28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. [Amen.]