1 1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be to you, and peace. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and perseverance in the hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before God our Father; 4 since we know, brethren beloved of God, that he hath chosen you; 5 because the gospel preached by us came not to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye well know what sort of persons we became among you for your sake. 6 And ye became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy from the Holy Spirit; 7 so that ye became an example to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For from you the word of the Lord hath sounded forth not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith toward God hath become known; so that we need not say anything [[about you]]. 9 For they themselves are reporting concerning us what kind of reception we had among you, and how ye 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, even Jesus, who delivereth us from the coming wrath.
2 1 For ye yourselves know, brethren, that our coming among you hath not been in vain; 2 but after we had suffered before and had been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. 3 For our teaching is not from error, nor from impurity, nor in guile; 4 but as we have been regarded by God as worthy to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who trieth our hearts. 5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; 6 nor from men sought we glory, either from you, or from others; though we might have used authority as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle in the midst of you, even as a nurse cherisheth her own children; 8 so having a strong affection for you, we were willing to impart to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own souls, because ye became dear to us. 9 For ye remember, brethren, our labor and toil, how laboring night and day, that we might not be burdensome to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. 10 Ye are witnesses, and so is God, how holily, and righteously, and unblamably we conducted ourselves toward you that believe; 11 as ye know how we exhorted, and encouraged, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12 that ye should walk in a manner worthy of God, who is calling you to his own kingdom and glory. 13 And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received the word of God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also is powerfully working in you that believe. 14 For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; for ye also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, as they have from the Jews; 15 who both killed the Lord Jesus, and the prophets, and drove us out, and please not God, and set themselves against all men, 16 hindering us from speaking to the gentiles that they may be saved,—to fill up their sins always! But the wrath is come upon them to the end. 17 But we, brethren, having been bereaved of you for a short time, separated in body, not in heart, used the greater endeavors with much earnestness to see your face. 18 Wherefore we purposed to come to you, that is, I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Is it not even ye, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20 For ye are our glory and joy.
3 1 Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we chose to be left at Athens alone, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and a fellow-laborer with God in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for yourselves know that to this we are appointed; 4 for even when we were with you, we told you before that we are to suffer affliction, just as it came to pass, and ye know. 5 For this cause, when I too could no longer forbear, I sent in order to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor should prove in vain. 6 But when Timothy just now came to us from you, and brought us good tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you; 7 for this cause, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction by your faith; 8 for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy wherewith we rejoice for your sakes before our God; 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may supply that which is lacking in your faith? 11 Now God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you; 12 and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all, even as we do in love toward you; 13 in order that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.
4 1 Furthermore then, brethren, we beseech you, and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received from us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye are walking, ye would abound still more; 2 for ye know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication; 4 that every one of you should know how to procure for himself his own vessel in purity and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the gentiles who know not God; 6 that no one should go beyond and overreach his brother in the matter; because the Lord is the avenger in respect to all these things, as we also told you before and solemnly testified. 7 For God did not call us to live in uncleanness, but in purity. 8 He therefore that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who also gave to you his Holy Spirit. 9 But concerning brotherly love there is no need of writing to you; for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another; 10 for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, to abound in love still more; 11 and to study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 that ye may walk becomingly toward those without, and may have need of nothing. 13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are sleeping, that ye may not sorrow, as others do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then also will God, through Jesus, bring again with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we say to you in the word of the Lord, that we who are living, we who are left till the coming of the Lord, shall not anticipate those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a loud summons, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first; 17 then we who are living, we who are left, shall be caught up together with them in clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we be ever with the Lord. 18 So then comfort one another with these words.
5 1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, there is no need of writing to you; 2 for ye yourselves know full well, that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 When they are saying, Peace and safety; then doth sudden destruction come upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief; 5 for ye all are sons of light, and sons of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Let us not sleep, then, as others, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that are drunken, are drunken in the night; 8 but let us, as we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast-plate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation; 9 for God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should together live with him. 11 Wherefore, encourage one another, and edify one another, as indeed ye are doing. 12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know those who labor among you, and preside over you in the Lord, and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 Moreover we exhort you, brethren, admonish the unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be forbearing to all. 15 See that none render evil for evil to any one; but ever follow that which is good, both toward one another and toward all. 16 Be always joyful. 17 Pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus in regard to you. 19 Quench not the Spirit; 20 despise not prophesyings, 21 but prove all things; hold fast that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil. 23 And may the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved whole, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he who calleth you, who also will do it. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Salute all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27 I adjure you by the Lord, that this letter be read to all the holy brethren. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.