3 Wherefore awhen we could no longer bforbear, cwe thought it good to be left at Athens alone; 2 And sent cdTimotheus, ccour brother, and minister of God, and our defellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, fto establish you, and to gcomfort you concerning your faith: 3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that hwe are appointed thereunto. 4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before hthat we should suffer tribulation; even as iit came to pass, and ye know. 5 For this cause, awhen I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means kthe tempter lhave tempted you, and mour labour be in vain. 6 But now nwhen Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of oyour faith and charity, and pthat ye have good remembrance of us always, qdesiring greatly to see us, as qwe also to see you: 7 Therefore, brethren, rwe were gcomforted over you in all our affliction and sdistress by your faith: 8 For now twe live, if ye ustand fast in the Lord. 9 For wwhat thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; 10 xNight and day xypraying exceedingly zthat we might see your face, and amight perfect that which is lacking in your faith? 11 Now God himself band our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, ||cdirect our way unto you. 12 And the Lord dmake you to increase and abound ein love fone toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: 13 To the end he may gstablish your hearts hunblameable in holiness before God, beven our Father, iat the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ kwith all his saints.

4 aFurthermore then we ||bbeseech you, brethren, and ||cexhort you by the Lord Jesus, that das ye have received of us ehow ye ought to walk and fto please God, so ye would gabound more and more. 2 For ye know dwhat commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is hthe will of God, even your isanctification, kthat ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how lto possess mhis vessel in isanctification and nhonour; 5 Not in othe lust of oconcupiscence, even pas the Gentiles qwhich know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and ||defraud rhis brother ||in any matter: because that the Lord sis the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and ttestified. 7 For God uhath not called us unto wuncleanness, but xunto iholiness. 8 yHe therefore that ||despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, zwho hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

9 But as touching abrotherly love bye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves bbare taught of God cto love one another. 10 And indeed dye do it toward all the brethren which are in all eMacedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye fincrease more and more; 11 And that ye gstudy hto be quiet, and ito do kyour own business, and lto work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 mThat ye may walk mnhonestly toward othem that are without, and that ye may have lack ||of nothing.

13 But pI would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning qthem which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, reven as others swhich have no hope. 14 For tif we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so quthem also which sleep in Jesus wwill God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you xby the word of the Lord, that ywe which are alive and remain unto zthe coming of the Lord shall not aprevent qthem which are asleep. 16 For bthe Lord himself shall descend cfrom heaven with a shout, with the voice of dthe archangel, and with ethe trump of God: and fthe dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then gwe which are alive and remain shall be hcaught up together with them iin the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so kshall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore ||lcomfort one another with these words.

5 But of athe times and the seasons, brethren, bye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that cthe day of the Lord so cometh das a thief in the night. 3 For when ethey shall say, Peace and safety; then fsudden gdestruction cometh upon them, as htravail upon a woman with child; and ithey shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, jare not in darkness, that cthat day should overtake you das a thief. 5 Ye are all kthe children of light, and the children of the day: lwe are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not msleep, as do others; but let us nwatch and obe sober. 7 For they that msleep sleep in the night; and pthey that be drunken qare drunken rin the night. 8 But let us, kwho are of the day, obe sober, sputting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not tappointed us uto wrath, but wto obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 xWho died for us, that, whether we nwake or msleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore ||ycomfort yourselves together, and zedify one another, even as also ye do.

12 And we beseech you, brethren, ato know them which labour among you, and bare over you in the Lord, and cadmonish you; 13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And dbe at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we ||exhort you, brethren, cwarn them that are ||unruly, ecomfort the feebleminded, fsupport the weak, gbe patient toward all men. 15 hSee that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever ifollow that which is good, both jamong yourselves, and to all men. 16 klRejoice evermore. 17 kmPray nwithout ceasing. 18 oIn every thing give thanks: for this is pthe will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 qQuench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not rprophesyings. 21 sProve all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 tAbstain from all appearance of evil. 23 And uthe very God of peace wsanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole xspirit and xsoul and body ybe preserved zblameless aunto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 bFaithful is che that calleth you, who also will do it.

25 dBrethren, pray for us. 26 eGreet all the brethren with an holy kiss. 27 I ||charge you by the Lord that fthis epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. 28 gThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

The first epistle unto the Thessalonians was written afrom Athens.