Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the  ¹church of the  ²Thessalonians in  ³God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

We thank God always concerning all of you, making mention of you in our prayers,

Remembering unceasingly your  ¹work of  ²faith and  ³labor of love and  ⁴endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father;

Knowing, brothers, beloved of God, your  ¹selection;

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, even as you know  ¹what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

And you became  ¹imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the  ²word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit,

So that you became a  ¹pattern to all those who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.

For from you the word of the Lord has sounded out; not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place, your  ¹faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need of saying anything.

For they themselves report concerning us  ¹what kind of entrance we had toward you and how you  ²turned to God from the idols to  ³serve a  ⁴living and true God

And  ¹await His Son from the heavens, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the  ²wrath which is coming.

For you yourselves know, brothers, our  ¹entrance toward you, that it has not been in vain.

But having suffered previously and having been outrageously treated, even as you know, in  ¹Philippi, we were bold  ²in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much struggle.

For our exhortation is not out of  ¹deception nor out of uncleanness nor in guile;

But even as we have been  ¹approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who proves our hearts.

For neither were we found at any time with flattering speech, even as you know, nor with a  ¹pretext for covetousness; God is witness.

Nor did we  ¹seek glory from men, neither from you nor from others, though we could have  ²stood on our authority as apostles of Christ.

But we were gentle in your midst, as a  ¹nursing mother would  ²cherish her own children.

 ¹Yearning in this way over you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also  ²our own souls, because you became beloved to us.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail: While working night and day so as not to be burdensome to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

You are witnesses, as well as God, how in a  ¹holy and righteous and blameless manner we conducted ourselves toward you who believe,

Just as you know  ¹how we were to each one of you, as a  ²father to his own children,  ³exhorting you and consoling you and testifying,

So that you might walk in a manner worthy of God, who  ¹calls you into His own  ²kingdom and  ³glory.

And because of this we also thank God unceasingly that when you received  ¹the word of God, which you heard  ²from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but even as it truly is, the word of God, which also  ³operates in you who believe.

For you, brothers, became  ¹imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they also from the Jews,

Who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out; and they are not pleasing to God and are contrary to all men,

In that they forbid us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so that they fill up their sins always. But wrath has come upon them to the  ¹uttermost.

But we, brothers, having been  ¹bereaved of you for  ²a little while, in presence, not in heart, were more abundantly  ³eager with great desire to see your face.

Therefore we wanted to come to you, indeed I Paul, both once and again, yet  ¹Satan hindered us.

For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His  ¹coming? Are not even you?

For you are our  ¹glory and joy.

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we thought it good to be left in  ¹Athens alone,

And we sent Timothy, our brother and  ¹God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and  ²encourage you for the sake of your faith,

That no one would be  ¹shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are  ²appointed for this.

For even when we were with you, we  ¹told you beforehand that we are to be afflicted, even as it also came to pass and you know.

Because of this, when I also could bear it no longer, I sent to find out concerning your faith, lest perhaps the  ¹tempter had tempted you and our labor would be  ²in vain.

But Timothy, having just come  ¹to us from you and announcing the good news to us of your faith and love and that you have kind remembrance of us always and long to see us, just as we also you,

Because of this we were  ¹comforted because of you, brothers, in all our  ²necessity and affliction, through your faith;

Because now we  ¹live if you  ²stand firm in the Lord.

For what thanks can we return to God concerning you for all the joy with which we rejoice because of you before our God,

Night and day petitioning exceedingly so that we may see your face and  ¹complete the things that are lacking in your faith?

Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus  ¹make straight our path to you;

And the Lord cause you to increase and abound in  ¹love to one another and to all, just as we also to you,

 ¹So that He may establish your  ²hearts blameless in  ³holiness before our God and Father at the  ⁴coming of our Lord Jesus with all His  ⁵saints.

Furthermore, brothers, we ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that even as you received from us how you ought to walk and please God, even as indeed you do walk, that you abound still more.

For you know what charges we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God, your  ¹sanctification: that you abstain from  ²fornication;

That each one of you know how to  ¹possess his own  ²vessel in  ³sanctification and honor,

Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do  ¹not know God;

That no one  ¹overstep and  ²take advantage of his brother in  ³the matter, because the Lord is the  ⁴avenger concerning all  ⁵these things, even as we also said before to you and solemnly charged.

For God has not called us  ¹for  ²uncleanness but  ³in  ⁴sanctification.

 ¹Consequently, he who  ²rejects, rejects not man but God, who also gives His  ³Holy Spirit to you.

Now concerning  ¹brotherly love, you have no need for me to write to you, for you yourselves are taught of God to  ²love one another;

For you also do this unto all the brothers in the whole of Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, to abound still more

And to aspire to be quiet and attend to your own affairs and work with your hands, even as we charged you,

That you may walk becomingly toward those outside and may have need of nothing.

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are  ¹sleeping, that you would not grieve even as also the rest who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so also those who have fallen asleep through Jesus, God will bring with Him.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are living, who are left remaining unto the  ¹coming of the Lord, shall by no means precede those who have fallen asleep;

Because the Lord Himself, with a  ¹shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the  ²trumpet of God, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are living, who are left remaining, will be  ¹caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord  ²in the air; and thus we will be always with the Lord.

Therefore comfort one another with these words.

But concerning the  ¹times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need for anything to be written to you;

For you yourselves know perfectly well that  ¹like a thief in the night, so the  ²day of the Lord comes.

When they say, Peace and security, then  ¹sudden destruction comes upon them, just as birth pangs to a woman with child; and they shall by no means escape.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness that the day should overtake you like a thief;

For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

So then let us not  ¹sleep, as the rest do, but let us  ²watch and be sober.

For those who sleep, sleep during the night, and those who get  ¹drunk are drunk during the night;

But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and a  ¹helmet, the  ²hope of  ³salvation.

For God did  ¹not appoint us to wrath but to the obtaining of  ²salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Who  ¹died for us in order that whether we  ²watch or  ³sleep, we may live together  ⁴with Him.

Therefore comfort one another, and build up each one the other, even as you also do.

Furthermore we ask you, brothers, to  ¹acknowledge  ²those who labor among you and  ³take the lead among you in the Lord and admonish you,

And to  ¹regard them most highly in love because of their work. Be  ²at peace among yourselves.

And we exhort you, brothers, Admonish the  ¹disorderly, console the  ²fainthearted, sustain the  ³weak, be  ⁴long-suffering toward all.

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but  ¹always pursue what is good both for one another and for all.

 ¹Always rejoice,

 ¹Unceasingly pray,

 ¹In everything give thanks;  ²for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Do  ¹not quench the Spirit;

Do not  ¹despise  ²prophecies,

But  ¹prove all things. Hold fast to what is good;

Abstain from every  ¹kind of evil.

 ¹And the  ²God of peace Himself  ³sanctify you  ⁴wholly, and may your  ⁵spirit and soul and body be preserved  ⁶complete, without blame,  ⁷at the  ⁸coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is He who calls you, who  ¹also will do it.

Brothers, pray also for us.

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the  ¹brothers.

The  ¹grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.