1 Thessalonians

knowing, brothers beloved by God, your⁺ election,

because our gospel came to you⁺ not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much full assurance, just as you⁺ know what we were among you⁺ on account of you⁺.

For they themselves report concerning us what kind of entrance we had to you⁺, and how you⁺ turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God,

and to await His Son from the heavens, whom He raised out from the dead—Jesus, the One delivering us from the coming wrath.

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, the One proving our hearts.

For neither at any time were we with a word of flattery, just as you⁺ know, nor with a pretext for greed—God [is] witness—

nor seeking glory from men, nor from you⁺, nor from others, [though] having power to be with authority as apostles of Christ.

But we were gentle in your⁺ midst, as a nursing mother should cherish her own children.

So yearning over you⁺, we were well pleased to have imparted to you⁺ not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you⁺ have become beloved to us.

just as you⁺ know how, each one of you⁺, as a father his own children,

And because of this, we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received the word of God, hearing from us, you⁺ accepted, not the word of men, but just as truly it is, the word of God, which also works in you⁺, those believing.

who, having killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and having driven us out; and [they are] not pleasing God and contrary to all men,

forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles so that they might be saved, so as to fill up their sins always. Now the wrath has come upon them to the end.

and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker of God in the gospel of Christ, in order to strengthen and to encourage you⁺ on behalf of your⁺ faith,

night and day imploring exceedingly in order to see your⁺ face and to complete the things lacking of your⁺ faith?

Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you⁺.

in order to strengthen your⁺ hearts, blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.

For this is the will of God—your⁺ sanctification: [for] you⁺ to abstain from sexual immorality;

[for] each of you⁺ to know [how] to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

not in the passion of lust just as also the Gentiles, those not knowing God;

not to go beyond and to take advantage of his brother in the matter, because the Lord [is] avenging concerning all these things, just as also we said before to you⁺ and earnestly testified.

For God did not call us to impurity, but in sanctification.

So then, the one setting [this] aside does not set aside man but God, the One also giving His Holy Spirit to you⁺.

and to strive earnestly to live quietly and to do your own [things], and to work with your⁺ own hands, just as we commanded you⁺,

so that you⁺ may walk properly toward those outside and may have need of no one.

But we do not want you⁺ to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those having fallen asleep, so that you⁺ should not be grieved, just as also the rest, those having no hope.

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

For this we say to you⁺ in the word of the Lord, that we the living, remaining unto the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those having fallen asleep,

because the Lord Himself with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we, the living remaining, will be caught up together with them in the clouds for the meeting of the Lord in the air; and so we will be always with the Lord.

Therefore encourage one another in these words.

because God did not set us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

the One having died for us, so that whether we may watch or we may sleep, we may live together with Him.

Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as also you⁺ are doing.

But we ask you⁺, brothers, to know those toiling among you⁺ and presiding over you⁺ in the Lord and admonishing you⁺,

and to esteem them exceedingly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

And we exhort you⁺, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient toward all.

Always rejoice.

Unceasingly pray.

In everything give thanks, for this [is] the will of God for you⁺ in Christ Jesus.

but test all things. Hold fast to the good.

Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you⁺ completely, and may your⁺ entire spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful [is] the One calling you⁺, who also will do [it].

I adjure you⁺ [by] the Lord [for] the letter to be read to all the brothers.