1 Thessalonians 1:1–2:20

*aPaul, and aaSilvanus, and bTimotheus, unto the church of the cThessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: dGrace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 eWe give thanks to God always for you all, making fmention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering gwithout ceasing hyour work of ifaith, and klabour of ilove, and lpatience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of mGod and our Father; 4 Knowing, brethren ||nbeloved, nyour election of God. 5 For our gospel came onot unto you in word only, but also oin power, and opin the Holy Ghost, and in qmuch assurance; as rye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And sye became followers of us, and of the Lord, thaving received the word in much affliction, uwwith joy of wthe Holy Ghost: 7 So that ye were xensamples to all that believe in yMacedonia and yAchaia. 8 For from you zsounded out the word of the Lord not only in yMacedonia and yAchaia, but also ain every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of bentering in we had unto you, and how cye turned to God dfrom idols to serve ethe living and ftrue God; 10 And gto wait for hhis Son ifrom heaven, kwhom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, lwhich delivered us from mthe wrath to come.

2 For yourselves, brethren, know our aentrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: 2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were bshamefully entreated, as ye know, cat Philippi, dwe were bold in our God eto speak unto you the gospel of God with much fcontention. 3 For our gexhortation was not of hdeceit, nor of iuncleanness, nor in kguile: 4 But as lwe were allowed of God mto be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as npleasing men, but God, owhich trieth our hearts. 5 For neither at any time knused we flattering words, as ye know, nor pa cloke of qcovetousness; rGod is witness: 6 Nor sof men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when twe might have ||been uburdensome, as wthe apostles of Christ. 7 But we were xgentle among you, even yas a nurse cherisheth her children: 8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, zbut also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 9 For ye remember, brethren, zzour labour and travail: for alabouring aanight and day, because we would not bbe chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. 10 cYe are witnesses, and dGod also, chow eholily and ejustly and funblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: 11 As ye know how we exhorted and gcomforted and charged every one of you, has a father doth his children, 12 iThat ye would walk worthy of God, jwho hath called you unto khis kingdom and glory. 13 For this cause also thank we God lwithout ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God mwhich ye heard of us, ye received it nnot as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 14 For ye, brethren, obecame followers of pthe churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for qye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, reven as they have of the Jews: 15 sWho both killed the Lord Jesus, and ttheir own prophets, and have ||persecuted us; and uthey please not God, and ware contrary to all men: 16 xForbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, yto fill up their sins alway: for zthe wrath ais come upon them bto the uttermost.

17 But we, brethren, cbeing taken from you dfor a short time ein presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly fto see your face with great desire. 18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but gSatan hhindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or ijoy, or icrown of ||krejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ lat his coming? 20 For ye are our glory and joy.