Greeting

1 Paul, aSilvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the bThessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace 1from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their Good Example

2 cWe give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing dyour work of faith, elabor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, fyour election by God. 5 For gour gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, hand in the Holy Spirit iand in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

6 And jyou became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, kwith joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 8 For from you the word of the Lord lhas sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also min every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 9 For they themselves declare concerning us nwhat manner of entry we had to you, oand how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and pto wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us qfrom the wrath to come.

Paul’s Conduct

2 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But 1even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at aPhilippi, as you know, we were bbold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. 3 cFor our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.

4 But as dwe have been approved by God eto be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, fnot as pleasing men, but God gwho tests our hearts. 5 For hneither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a 2cloak for covetousness—iGod is witness. 6 jNor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when kwe might have lmade demands mas apostles of Christ. 7 But nwe were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased oto impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also pour own lives, because you had become dear to us. 9 For you remember, brethren, our qlabor and toil; for laboring night and day, rthat we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

10 sYou are witnesses, and God also, thow devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; 11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and 3charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 uthat you would walk worthy of God vwho calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Their Conversion

13 For this reason we also thank God wwithout ceasing, because when you xreceived the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it ynot as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively zworks in you who believe. 14 For you, brethren, became imitators aof the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For byou also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 15 cwho killed both the Lord Jesus and dtheir own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God eand are 4contrary to all men, 16 fforbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always gto fill up the measure of their sins; hbut wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

Longing to See Them

17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time iin presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. 18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but jSatan hindered us. 19 For kwhat is our hope, or joy, or lcrown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the mpresence of our Lord Jesus Christ nat His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

Concern for Their Faith

3 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent aTimothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 bthat no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that cwe are appointed to this. 4 dFor, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, elest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and four labor might be in vain.

Encouraged by Timothy

6 gBut now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, has we also to see you—7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress iwe were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For now we live, if you jstand fast in the Lord.

9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face kand perfect what is lacking in your faith?

Prayer for the Church

11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, ldirect our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and mabound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish nyour hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

Plea for Purity

4 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus athat you should abound more and more, bjust as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is cthe will of God, dyour sanctification: ethat you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 fthat each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 gnot in passion of lust, hlike the Gentiles iwho do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord jis the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, kbut in holiness. 8 lTherefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, mwho 1has also given us His Holy Spirit.

A Brotherly and Orderly Life

9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for nyou yourselves are taught by God oto love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, pthat you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, qto mind your own business, and rto work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 sthat you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, 2 lest you sorrow tas others uwho have no hope. 14 For vif we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him wthose who 3sleep in Jesus.

15 For this we say to you xby the word of the Lord, that ywe who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are 4asleep. 16 For zthe Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with athe trumpet of God. bAnd the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 cThen we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them din the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus ewe shall always be with the Lord. 18 fTherefore comfort one another with these words.

The Day of the Lord

5 But concerning athe times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that bthe day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then csudden destruction comes upon them, das labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 eBut you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all fsons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 gTherefore let us not sleep, as others do, but hlet us watch and be 1sober. 7 For ithose who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk jare drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, kputting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For lGod did not appoint us to wrath, mbut to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 nwho died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

11 Therefore 2comfort each other and 3edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Various Exhortations

12 And we urge you, brethren, oto recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and 4admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. pBe at peace among yourselves.

14 Now we 5exhort you, brethren, qwarn those who are 6unruly, rcomfort the fainthearted, suphold the weak, tbe patient with all. 15 uSee that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always vpursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

16 wRejoice always, 17 xpray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

19 yDo not quench the Spirit. 20 zDo not despise prophecies. 21 aTest all things; bhold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Blessing and Admonition

23 Now may cthe God of peace Himself dsanctify 7you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body ebe preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is ffaithful, who also will gdo it.

25 Brethren, pray for us.

26 Greet all the …