The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the
THESSALONIANS
Greeting
1Paul, 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
2cWe give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
3remembering 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,
4knowing, beloved brethren, fyour election by God.
5For 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.
6And jyou became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, kwith joy of the Holy Spirit,
7so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.
8For 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.
9For 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,
10and 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
(cf. Acts 17:1–9)
1For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.
2But 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.
3cFor our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.
4But 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.
5For hneither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a 2cloak for covetousness—iGod is witness.
6jNor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when kwe might have lmade demands mas apostles of Christ.
7But nwe were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
8So, 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.
9For 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. Communities with Christian Churches—ca. A.D. 100
10sYou are witnesses, and God also, thow devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;
11as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and 3charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,
12uthat you would walk worthy of God vwho calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
Their Conversion
13For 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.
14For 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,
15cwho 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,
16fforbidding 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
17But 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.
18Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but jSatan hindered us.
19For 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?
20For you are our glory and joy.
Concern for Their Faith
1Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone,
2and 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,
3bthat no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that cwe are appointed to this.
4dFor, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.
5For 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
6gBut 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—
7therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress iwe were comforted concerning you by your faith.
8For now we live, if you jstand fast in the Lord.
9For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,
10night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face kand perfect what is lacking in your faith?
Prayer for the Church
11Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, ldirect our way to you.
12And may the Lord make you increase and mabound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,
13so 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
1Finally 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;
2for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3For this is cthe will of God, dyour sanctification: ethat you should abstain from sexual immorality;
4fthat each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5gnot in passion of lust, hlike the Gentiles iwho do not know God;
6that 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.
7For God did not call us to uncleanness, kbut in holiness.
8lTherefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, mwho1 has also given us His Holy Spirit.
A Brotherly and Orderly Life
9But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for nyou yourselves are taught by God oto love one another;
10and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, pthat you increase more and more;
11that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, qto mind your own business, and rto work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
12sthat you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
The Comfort of Christ’s Coming
13But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen 2asleep, lest you sorrow tas others uwho have no hope.
14For vif we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him wthose who 3sleep in Jesus.
15For 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.
16For 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.
17cThen 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.
The Day of the Lord
1But concerning athe times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2For you yourselves know perfectly that bthe day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then csudden destruction comes upon them, das labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
4eBut you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
5You are all fsons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
6gTherefore let us not sleep, as others do, but hlet us watch and be 1sober.
7For ithose who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk jare drunk at night.
8But 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.
9For lGod did not appoint us to wrath, mbut to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10nwho died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11Therefore 2comfort each other and 3edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Various Exhortations
12And we urge you, brethren, oto recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and 4admonish you,
13and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. pBe at peace among yourselves.
14Now we 5exhort you, brethren, qwarn those who are 6unruly, rcomfort the fainthearted, suphold the weak, tbe patient with all.
15uSee that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always vpursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
21aTest all things; bhold fast what is good.
22Abstain from every form of evil.
Blessing and Admonition
23Now may cthe God of peace Himself dsanctify7 you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body ebe preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24He who calls you is ffaithful, who also will gdo it.
25Brethren, pray for us.
26Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27I charge you by the Lord that this 8epistle be read to all the 9holy brethren.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.