Greetings to the Thessalonians

(1 Thessalonians 1:1–10)

1 Paul, Silvanus,[fn] and Timothy, To the church of [the] Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father[fn] and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing. 4 That is why we boast among God’s churches about your perseverance and faith in the face of all [the] persecution and affliction you are enduring.

Christ’s Coming

5 [ All this is ] clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment. And so you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 After all, [it is] only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us [as well]. [This will take place when] the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8 in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 [They] will suffer [the] penalty of eternal destruction, separated from [the] presence of the Lord and the glory of His might, 10 on [the] day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.

11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of [His] calling, and [that] He will powerfully fulfill [your] every good desire and work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and of [the] Lord Jesus Christ.[fn]

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be easily disconcerted [or] alarmed by [any] spirit [or] message [or] letter seeming [to be] from us, [alleging] that the Day of the Lord has already come. 3 {Let} no one deceive you in [any] way, for [ it will not come ] until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. 4 [He] will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

5 Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you? 6 And you know what is now restraining [him], so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness {is} already at work, but the [one who] now restrains [it] [will continue] until he is taken out of [the] way. 8 And then the lawless [one] will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival.

9 The coming [of the lawless one] will be accompanied by [the] working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, 10 and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. 11 For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe [the] lie, 12 in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth [and] delighted in wickedness.

Stand Firm

13 But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by [the] Lord, because God chose you from [the] beginning[fn] to be saved by [the] sanctification of [the] Spirit and [by] faith in [the] truth. 14 To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may share in [the] glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore brothers, stand firm and cling to the traditions we taught you, whether by speech or by letter.

16 Now {may} our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given [us] eternal comfort and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen [you] in every good word and deed.

Request for Prayer

3 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread quickly and be held in honor, just as [it was] with you. 2 And [pray] that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not everyone [ holds to ] the faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, [and He] will strengthen [you] and guard you from the evil [one].[fn] 4 And we have confidence in [the] Lord that you are doing and will continue to do what we command. 5 {May} the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

A Warning against Idleness

6 Now we command you, brothers, in [the] name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother [who] leads an undisciplined life [that is] not in keeping with the tradition you received[fn] from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 Not that we lack [this] right, but we wanted to offer ourselves [as] an example for you to imitate 10 For even while we were with you, we gave you this command “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”

11 For we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies. 12 We command and urge such [people] by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living 13 But [as for] you, brothers, {do} not grow weary [in] well-doing.

14 Take note of anyone who {does} not obey the instructions we have given in [this] letter. {Do} not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet {do} not regard [him] as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.

Signature and Final Greetings

(1 Corinthians 16:19–24, Colossians 4:15–18)

16 Now {may} the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all [times] [and] in every way. The Lord [be] with all of you.

17 [This] greeting [is] in my own hand—Paul. This is [my] mark in every letter; it is the way I write.

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