1:1 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.





1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in


our prayers; 1:3 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; 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your


election of God.





1:5 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.





1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received


the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.





1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and


Achaia.





1:8 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.





1:9 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; 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised


from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.





2:1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it


was not in vain: 2:2 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.





2:3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in


guile: 2:4 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.





2:5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor


a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: 2:6 Nor of men sought we


glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been


burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.





2:7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her


children: 2:8 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.





2:9 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.





2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and


unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: 2:11 As ye


know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a


father doth his children, 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who


hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.





2:13 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.





2:14 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: 2:15 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: 2:16 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.





2:17 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.





2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and


again; but Satan hindered us.





2:19 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?  2:20 For


ye are our glory and joy.





3:1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to


be left at Athens alone; 3:2 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: 3:3 That no


man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we


are appointed thereunto.





3:4 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.





3:5 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.





3:6 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: 3:7


Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction


and distress by your faith: 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in


the Lord.





3:9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the


joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; 3:10 Night and day


praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect


that which is lacking in your faith?  3:11 Now God himself and our


Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.





3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward


another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: 3:13 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.





4:1 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.





4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.





4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye


should abstain from fornication: 4:4 That every one of you should know


how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 4:5 Not in the


lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 4:6


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.





4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.





4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath


also given unto us his holy Spirit.





4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you:


for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.





4:10 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; 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business,


and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 4:12 That ye may


walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack


of nothing.





4:13 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.





4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them


also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.





4:15 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.





4:16 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: 4:17 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.





4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.





5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I


write unto you.





5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh


as a thief in the night.





5:3 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.





5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should


overtake you as a thief.





5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we


are not of the night, nor of darkness.





5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be


sober.





5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken


are drunken in the night.





5:8 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.





5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by


our Lord Jesus Christ, 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or


sleep, we should live together with him.





5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another,


even as also ye do.





5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among


you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 5:13 And to


esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace


among yourselves.





5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort


the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.





5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow


that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.





5:16 Rejoice evermore.





5:17 Pray without ceasing.





5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ


Jesus concerning you.





5:19 Quench not the Spirit.





5:20 Despise not prophesyings.





5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.





5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.





5:23 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.





5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.





5:25 Brethren, pray for us.





5:26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.





5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the


holy brethren.





5:28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.