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I.
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace.
2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before God and our Father; 4knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election; 5because our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men were we among you, for your sake. 6And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit; 7so that ye became an example to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 8For from you has sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth; so that we have no need to speak anything. 9For they themselves report concerning us, what manner of entrance we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
II.
For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance to you, that it has not become vain. 2But having before suffered, and 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. 3For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile; 4but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who proves our hearts. 5For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness; 6nor of men sought we glory, neither from you, nor from others, though able to use authority, as Christ's apostles. 7But we were gentle among you, as a nurse cherishes her children; 8so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to impart to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own souls, because ye were dear to us. 9For ye remember, brethren, our labor and toil; night and day working, in order not to burden any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.
10Ye are witnesses, and God, how holily and justly and unblamably we behaved ourselves to you that believe; 11as ye know how we exhorted, and encouraged, and charged every one of you, as a father his children, 12that ye should walk worthy of God, who is calling you into his kingdom and glory.
13For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when ye received the word of God heard from us, ye received not the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you that believe. 14For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which are in Judæa in Christ Jesus; for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, as they have of the Jews; 15who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us forth, and please not God, and are contrary to all men; 16hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always; and the wrath came upon them to the utmost.
17But we, brethren, having been severed from you for a short time, in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face, with great desire. 18Wherefore we would fain have come to you, even I, Paul, once and again; and Satan hindered us. 19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not also ye, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20For ye are our glory and joy.
III.
Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone; 2and sent Timothy, our brother, and a fellow-worker with God in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to exhort you concerning your faith; 3that no one should be shaken by these afflictions, for yourselves know that unto this we are appointed. 4For even when we were with you, we told you before that we are to suffer affliction; as also it came to pass, and ye know. 5For this cause, when I too could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter tempted you, and our labor should be in vain.
6But now, when Timothy 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; 7for this cause we were consoled, brethren, over you in all our affliction and distress, through your faith; 8because now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 9For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy wherewith we rejoice for your sakes before our God; 10night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
11Now God and our Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12And the Lord make you increase and abound in love toward one another, and toward all, as we also do toward you; 13to the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God and our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
IV.
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, as also ye are walking, ye would abound yet more. 2For ye know what commands we gave you, through the Lord Jesus. 3For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; 4that each one of you know how to possess4 his vessel in sanctification and honor; 5not in lustful passion, as also the Gentiles who know not God. 6That no one go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter6; because the Lord is the avenger for all these things, as we also told you before, and testified. 7For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8Therefore he that rejects, rejects not man, but God, who also gave to you his Holy Spirit.
9But concerning brotherly love ye need not that I write to you; for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10For indeed ye do it, toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we beseech you, brethren, to abound yet more; 11and to study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12that ye may walk becomingly toward those without, and may have need of nothing.
13But we desire that you should not be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are sleeping, that ye sorrow not, as others who have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also those who fell asleep through Jesus will God bring with him.
15For this we say to you, in the word of the Lord, that we the living, who remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who fell asleep. 16Because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ will first rise. 17Then we the living, who remain, will be caught up together with them in clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18Wherefore, encourage one another with these words.
V.
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write to you. 2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief. 5For all ye are sons of light, and sons of day; we are not of night, nor of darkness. 6So then let us not sleep, as others; but let us watch and be sober. 7For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that are drunken, are drunken in the night. 8But let us, being of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation; 9because God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ; 10who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11Wherefore encourage each other, and edify one the other, as also ye do.
12And we beseech you, brethren, to know those who labor among you, and preside over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
14Now we exhort you, brethren, admonish the unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be long-suffering toward all. 15See that none render evil for evil to any one but ever follow that which is good, both toward one another, and toward all.
16Rejoice always. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, toward you.
19Quench not the Spirit. 20Despise not prophesyings; 21but prove all things, hold fast that which is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil. 23And 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. 24Faithful is he who calls you, who also will do it.
25Brethren, pray for us.
26Salute all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27I adjure you by the Lord, that this letter be read to all the holy brethren.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
