| 001:001
| Paul,
and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is
in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace,
from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 001:002 | We
give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
|
| 001:003 | Remembering
without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; |
| 001:004 | Knowing,
brethren beloved, your election of God. |
| 001:005 | For
our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy
Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you
for your sake. |
| 001:006 | And
ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much
affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. |
| 001:007 | So
that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. |
| 001:008 | For
from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia,
but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we
need not to speak any thing. |
| 001:009 | For
they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and
how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; |
| 001:010 | And
to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus,
which delivered us from the wrath to come. |
|
| 002:001
| For
yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
| | 002:002 | But
even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye
know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of
God with much contention. |
| 002:003 | For
our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: |
| 002:004 | But
as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak;
not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. |
| 002:005 | For
neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness;
God is witness: |
| 002:006 | Nor
of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have
been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. |
| 002:007 | But
we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: |
| 002:008 | So
being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto
you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear
unto us. |
| 002:009 | For
ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day,
because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the
gospel of God. |
| 002:010 | Ye
are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved
ourselves among you that believe: |
| 002:011 | As
ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father
doth his children, |
| 002:012 | That
ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
|
| 002:013 | For
this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the
word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but
as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that
believe. |
| 002:014 | For
ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in
Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen,
even as they have of the Jews: |
| 002:015 | Who
both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us;
and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: |
| 002:016 | Forbidding
us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins
alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. |
| 002:017 | But
we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart,
endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. |
| 002:018 | Wherefore
we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered
us. |
| 002:019 | For
what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence
of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? |
| 002:020 | For
ye are our glory and joy. |
|
| 003:001
| Wherefore
when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
| | 003:002 | And
sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in
the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your
faith: |
| 003:003 | That
no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are
appointed thereunto. |
| 003:004 | For
verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation;
even as it came to pass, and ye know. |
| 003:005 | For
this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest
by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. |
| 003:006 | But
now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your
faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring
greatly to see us, as we also to see you: |
| 003:007 | Therefore,
brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by
your faith: |
| 003:008 | For
now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. |
| 003:009 | For
what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we
joy for your sakes before our God; |
| 003:010 | Night
and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect
that which is lacking in your faith? |
| 003:011 | Now
God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto
you. |
| 003:012 | And
the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward
all men, even as we do toward you: |
| 003:013 | To
the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even
our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. |
|
| 004:001
| Furthermore
then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye
have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound
more and more. | | 004:002 | For
ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. |
| 004:003 | For
this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from
fornication: |
| 004:004 | That
every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and
honour; |
| 004:005 | Not
in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: |
| 004:006 | That
no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord
is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. |
| 004:007 | For
God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. |
| 004:008 | He
therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto
us his holy Spirit. |
| 004:009 | But
as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves
are taught of God to love one another. |
| 004:010 | And
indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we
beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; |
| 004:011 | And
that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your
own hands, as we commanded you; |
| 004:012 | That
ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack
of nothing. |
| 004:013 | But
I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep,
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. |
| 004:014 | For
if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep
in Jesus will God bring with him. |
| 004:015 | For
this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain
unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. |
| 004:016 | For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: |
| 004:017 | Then
we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
|
| 004:018 | Wherefore
comfort one another with these words. |
|
| 005:001
| But
of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
| | 005:002 | For
yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in
the night. |
| 005:003 | For
when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon
them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. |
| 005:004 | But
ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
|
| 005:005 | Ye
are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the
night, nor of darkness. |
| 005:006 | Therefore
let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. |
| 005:007 | For
they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in
the night. |
| 005:008 | But
let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and
love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. |
| 005:009 | For
God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus
Christ, |
| 005:010 | Who
died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
|
| 005:011 | Wherefore
comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. |
| 005:012 | And
we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over
you in the Lord, and admonish you; |
| 005:013 | And
to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among
yourselves. |
| 005:014 | Now
we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded,
support the weak, be patient toward all men. |
| 005:015 | See
that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is
good, both among yourselves, and to all men. |
| 005:016 | Rejoice
evermore. |
| 005:017 | Pray
without ceasing. |
| 005:018 | In
every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning
you. |
| 005:019 | Quench
not the Spirit. |
| 005:020 | Despise
not prophesyings. |
| 005:021 | Prove
all things; hold fast that which is good. |
| 005:022 | Abstain
from all appearance of evil. |
| 005:023 | And
the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit
and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. |
| 005:024 | Faithful
is he that calleth you, who also will do it. |
| 005:025 | Brethren,
pray for us. |
| 005:026 | Greet
all the brethren with an holy kiss. |
| 005:027 | I
charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
|
| 005:028 | The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. |