Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians
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Chapter 1
^1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
^2We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our
prayers,
^3remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and
patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
^4We know, brothers [303] loved by God, that you are chosen,
^5and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in
power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what
kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake.
^6You became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word
in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,
^7so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in
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 need not to say anything.
^9For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we
had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a 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.
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[303] The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be
correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."
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Chapter 2
^1For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn't in vain,
^2but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know,
at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God
in much conflict.
^3For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in
deception.
^4But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the
Good News, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our
hearts.
^5For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you
know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),
^6nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when
we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.
^7But we were gentle among of you, as when a nurse cherishes her own
children.
^8Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to
impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls,
because you had become very dear to us.
^9For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night
and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the
Good News of God.
^10You are witnesses with God, how holy, righteously, and blamelessly
we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.
^11As you know how we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of
you, as a father does his own children,
^12to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into
his own Kingdom and glory.
^13For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you
received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as
the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also
works in you who believe.
^14For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which
are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things
from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews;
^15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us
out, and didn't please God, and are contrary to all men;
^16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to
fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.
^17But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in
presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great
desire,
^18because we wanted to come to you"indeed, I, Paul, once and again"but
Satan hindered us.
^19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn't it even
you, before our Lord Jesus [304] at his coming?
^20For you are our glory and our joy.
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[304] TR adds "Christ"
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Chapter 3
^1Therefore, when we couldn't stand it any longer, we thought it good
to be left behind at Athens alone,
^2and sent Timothy, our brother and God's servant in the Good News of
Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith;
^3that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are
appointed to this task.
^4For most assuredly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand
that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.
^5For this cause I also, when I couldn't stand it any longer, sent that
I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had
tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.
^6But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad
news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us
always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you;
^7for this cause, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our
distress and affliction through your faith.
^8For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
^9For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the
joy with which 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 may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
direct our way to you;
^12and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward
another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you,
^13to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before
our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his
saints.
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Chapter 4
^1Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that
as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that
you abound more and more.
^2For you know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
^3For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain
from sexual immorality,
^4that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in
sanctification and honor,
^5not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don't know God;
^6that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in
this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as
also we forewarned you and testified.
^7For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
^8Therefore he who rejects doesn't reject man, but God, who has also
given his Holy Spirit to you.
^9But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to
you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
^10for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all
Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;
^11and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do
your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we charged
you;
^12that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may
have need of nothing.
^13But we don't want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who
have fallen asleep, so that you don't grieve like the rest, who have no
hope.
^14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so those who
have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
^15For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive,
who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those
who have fallen asleep.
^16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will
rise first,
^17then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the
Lord forever.
^18Therefore comfort one another with these words.
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Chapter 5
^1But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need
that anything be written to you.
^2For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a
thief in the night.
^3For when they are saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction
will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will
in no way escape.
^4But you, brothers, aren't in darkness, that the day should overtake
you like a thief.
^5You are all children of light, and children of the day. We don't
belong to the night, nor to darkness,
^6so then let's not sleep, as the rest do, but let's watch and be
sober.
^7For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunken
are drunken in the night.
^8But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of
salvation.
^9For God didn't appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
^10who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live
together with him.
^11Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you
also do.
^12But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are
over you in the Lord, and admonish you,
^13and to respect and honor them in love for their work's sake.
Be at peace among yourselves.
^14We exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, encourage the
fainthearted, support the weak, be patient toward all.
^15See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow
after that which is good, for one another, and for all.
^16Rejoice always.
^17Pray without ceasing.
^18In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus toward you.
^19Don't quench the Spirit.
^20Don't despise prophesies.
^21Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good.
^22Abstain from every form of evil.
^23May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole
spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
^24Faithful is he who calls you, who will also do it.
^25Brothers, pray for us.
^26Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
^27I solemnly charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all
the holy brothers.
^28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
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