Thanksgiving for These Believers

1 aPaul and bSilvanus and cTimothy,

To the dchurch of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: eGrace to you and peace.

2 aWe give thanks to God always for all of you, bmaking mention of you in our prayers;

3 constantly bearing in mind your awork of faith and labor of blove and 1csteadfastness of hope 2in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of dour God and Father,

4 knowing, abrethren beloved by God, bHis choice of you;

5 for our agospel did not come to you in word only, but also bin power and in the Holy Spirit and with cfull conviction; just as you know dwhat kind of men we 1proved to be among you for your sake.

6 You also became aimitators of us and of the Lord, bhaving received cthe word in much tribulation with the djoy of the Holy Spirit,

7 so that you became an example to all the believers in aMacedonia and in bAchaia.

8 For athe word of the Lord has bsounded forth from you, not only in cMacedonia and dAchaia, but also ein every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.

9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a 1areception we had 2with you, and how you bturned to God cfrom 3idols to serve 4da living and true God,