1 Paul, a Silas and Timothy to the church of the b Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 c We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
3 remembering without ceasing d your work of faith and e labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father,
4 knowing, beloved brethren, f your election by God.
5 For g our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and h in the Holy Spirit and i in much conviction, as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And j you became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction k with joy of the Holy Spirit,
7 so that you were examples to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.
8 For the word of the Lord l has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also m in every place your faith toward God has spread abroad, so that we do not need to speak anything.
9 For they themselves report about us, n what manner of entry we had to you, and o how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
10 and p to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivers us q from the wrath to come.
Chapter 1 References:
a 1 Pt 5:12; b At 17:1–9; c Rm 1:8; d Jn 6:29; e Rm 16:6; f Cl 3:12;
g Mk 16:20; h 2 Co 6:6; i Hb 2:3; j 1 Co 4:16; 11:1; k At 5:41; 13:52;
l Rm 10:18; m Rm 1:8; 16:19; n 1 Th 2:1; o 1 Co 12:2; p Rm 2:7; q Rm 5:9
1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.
2 But after we had suffered before and were shamefully treated in a Philippi, as you know, we were b bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God with much opposition.
3 c For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness or by way of deceit.
4 But as d we have been approved by God e to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, f not as pleasing men, but God g who tests our hearts.
5 For h neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness. i God is witness.
6 j Nor did we seek glory from men, neither from you nor from others, even though k we might have been l burdensome to you m as apostles of Christ.
7 But n we were gentle among you, even as a nurse tenderly cares for her own children.
8 So affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased o to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also p our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.
9 For you remember, brethren, our q labor and hardship, for laboring night and day, r because we would not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.
10 s You are witnesses, and God also, t how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe,
11 just as you know how we exhorted and comforted and implored every one of you as a father does his own children,
12 u so that you would walk worthy of God, v who has called you unto His kingdom and glory.
13 For this reason we also thank God w without ceasing, because when you x received the word of God that you heard from us, you did y not receive it as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God that also effectively z works in you who believe.
14 For you, brethren, became imitators of a the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus, for b you have also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,
15 c who both killed the Lord Jesus and d their own prophets, and have persecuted us. And they do not please God e and are contrary to all men,
16 f forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, g to heap up their sins always, h for wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.
17 But we, brethren, having been taken from you for a short time i in 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, once and again, but j Satan hindered us.
19 For k what is our hope or joy or l crown of rejoicing? Is it not you in the m presence of our Lord Jesus Christ n at His coming?
20 For you are our glory and joy.
Chapter 2 References:
a At 14:5; 16:19–24; b At 17:1–9; c 2 Co 7:2; d 1 Co 7:25; e Ti 1:3; f Gl 1:10;
g Pv 17:3; h 2 Co 2:17; i Rm 1:9; j 1 Tm 5:17; k 1 Co 9:4; l 2 Co 11:9;
m 1 Co 9:1; n 1 Co 2:3; o Rm 1:11; p 2 Co 12:15; q At 18:3; 20:34–35;
r 2 Co 12:13; s 1 Th 1:5; t 2 Co 7:2; u Ep 4:1; v 1 Co 1:9; w 1 Th 1:2–3;
x Mk 4:20; y Gl 4:14; z 1 Pt 1:23; a Gl 1:22; b At 17:5; c At 2:23;
d Mt 5:12; 23:34–35; e Et 3:8; f Lk 11:52; g Gn 15:16; h Mt 24:6;
i 1 Co 5:3; j Rm 1:13; 15:22; k 2 Co 1:14; l Pv 16:31; m Jd 24; n 1 Co 15:23
1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone.
2 And we sent a Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen you and to comfort you concerning your faith,
3 so b that no one should be moved by these afflictions, for you yourselves know that c we are appointed for this.
4 d For indeed, when we were with you, we told you in advance that we would suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass as you know.
5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, e lest by some means the tempter had tempted you and f our labor might have been in vain.
6 g But now that Timothy has come from you to us, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, desiring greatly to see us, h as we also to see you,
7 for this reason, brethren, in all our affliction and distress i we were comforted concerning you through your faith.
8 For now we live, if you j stand firm in the Lord.
9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God,
10 praying exceedingly night and day that we might see your face k and might perfect what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our God and our Father Himself and our Lord Jesus Christ, l direct our way to you.
12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and m abound in love for one another, and toward all, even as we do toward you.
13 May He strengthen n your hearts to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
Chapter 3 References:
a Rm 16:21; b Ep 3:13; c At 9:16; 14:22; d At 20:24; e 1 Co 7:5; f Gl 2:2;
g At 18:5; h Ph 1:8; i 2 Co 1:4; j Ph 4:1; k 2 Co 13:9; l Mk 1:3;
m Ph 1:9; n 2 Th 2:17
1 Finally, brethren, we request and exhort you by the Lord Jesus a that as you have received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, b you should abound more and more.
2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is c the will of God, d your sanctification, e that you should abstain from fornication;
4 f that every one of you should know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor,
5 g not in lustful passion h like the Gentiles i who do not know God;
6 and that no one go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because the Lord j is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7 For God has not called us to impurity, k but in holiness.
8 l Therefore, he who rejects does not reject man, but God, m who has also given His Holy Spirit to you.
9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I write to you, for n you yourselves are taught by God o to love one another.
10 And indeed you practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, p that you increase more and more,
11 that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and q to do your own business and r to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
12 s so that you may walk honestly toward those who are outsiders and that you may have lack of nothing.
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, so that you do not grieve t as others u who have no hope.
14 For v if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him w those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you x by the word of the Lord, that y we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord will not go before those who have fallen asleep.
16 For z the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with a the trumpet of God. b And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 c Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in d the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so e we will always be with the Lord.
18 f Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
Chapter 4 References:
a Ph 1:27; b 1 Co 15:58; c Rm 12:2; d Ep 5:27; e 1 Co 6:15–20;
f Rm 6:19; g Cl 3:5; h Ep 4:17–18; i 1 Co 15:34; j 2 Th 1:8;
k Lv 11:44; l Lk 10:16; m 1 Co 2:10; n Jr 31:33–34; o Mt 22:39;
p 1 Th 3:12; q 2 Th 3:11; r At 20:35; s Rm 13:13; t Lv 19:28;
u Ep 2:12; v 1 Co 15:13; w 1 Co 15:20,23; x 1 Kg 13:17; 20:35;
y 1 Co 15:51–52; z Mt 24:30–31; a 1 Co 15:52; b 1 Co 15:23;
c 1 Co 15:51–53; d At 1:9; e Jn 14:3; 17:24; f 1 Th 5:11
1 But concerning a the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that anything be written to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that b the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.
3 For when they say, “Peace and safety,” then c sudden destruction comes upon them d as birth pains upon a woman with child. And they will not escape.
4 e But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that the day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all f the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 g Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but h let us watch and be sober.
7 For i those who sleep, sleep in the night. And those who are drunken, j are drunken in the night.
8 But let us who are of the day be sober, k putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For l God has not appointed us to wrath, m but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 n who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we should live together with Him.
11 Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
12 And we urge you, brethren, o to know those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,
13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. p Live in peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, q warn those who are unruly. r Comfort the fainthearted. s Support the weak. t Be patient toward all men.
15 u See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always v follow what is good, both among yourselves and to all.
16 w Rejoice always.
17 x Pray without ceasing.
18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 y Do not quench the Spirit.
20 z Do not despise prophecies.
21 a Prove all things. b Hold fast to what is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 Now may c the God of peace d sanctify you wholly. And may your whole spirit and soul and body e be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 f Faithful is He who calls you, who also will g do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Chapter 5 References:
a Mt 24:3; b 2 Pt 3:10; c Is 13:6–9; d Hs 13:13; e 1 Jn 2:8;
f Ep 5:8; g Mt 25:5; h 1 Pt 5:8; i Lk 21:34; j At 2:15; k Ep 6:14;
l Rm 9:22; m 2 Th 2:13; n 2 Co 5:15; o 1 Co 16:18; p Mk 9:50;
q 2 Th 3:6,7,11; r Hb 12:12; s Rm 14:1; 15:1; t Gl 5:22;
u Lv 19:18; v Gl 6:10; w 2 Co 6:10; x Ep 6:18; y Ep 4:30;
z 1 Co 14:1,31; a 1 Jn 4:1; b Ph 4:8; c Rm 15:33; d Jn 17:17;
e 1 Co 1:8; f 1 Co 1:9; g Ph 1:6