Because our good news came to you, not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, so that you were completely certain of it; even as you saw what our behaviour to you was like from our love to you.

For not only was the word of the Lord sounding out from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God is made clear; so that we have no need to say anything.

For you yourselves, brothers, are conscious that our coming among you was not without effect:

For our witness does not come from error or from an unclean heart or from deceit:

But even as the good news was given to us by the approval of God, so we give it out; not as pleasing men, but God by whom our hearts are tested.

Even so, being full of loving desire for you, we took delight in giving you not only God's good news, but even our lives, because you were dear to us.

For you have the memory, my brothers, of our trouble and care; how, working night and day, so that we might not be a trouble to any of you, we gave you the good news of God.

And for this cause we still give praise to God, that, when the word came to your ears through us, you took it, not as the word of man, but, as it truly is, the word of God, which has living power in you who have faith.

But we, my brothers, being away from you for a short time, in body but not in heart, had all the more desire to see your face;

For what is our hope or joy or crown of glory? Are not even you, before our Lord Jesus, at his coming?

Night and day requesting God again and again that we may see your face and make your faith complete.

Not in the passion of evil desires, like the Gentiles, who have no knowledge of God;

Because it is God's purpose that our way of life may be not unclean but holy.

Whoever, then, goes against this word, goes against not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

But about loving the brothers, there is no need for me to say anything to you in this letter: for you have the teaching of God that love for one another is right and necessary;

That you may be respected by those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.

But it is our desire, brothers, that you may be certain about those who are sleeping; so that you may have no need for sorrow, as others have who are without hope.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are still living at the coming of the Lord, will not go before those who are sleeping.

But about the times and their order, my brothers, there is no need for me to say anything to you.

For you yourselves have the knowledge that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

When they say, There is peace and no danger, then sudden destruction will come on them, as birth-pains on a woman with child; and they will not be able to get away from it.

But you, my brothers, are not in the dark, for that day to overtake you like a thief:

For you are all sons of light and of the day: we are not of the night or of the dark.

So then, let us not take our rest as the others do, but let us be self-controlled and awake.

For those who are sleeping do so in the night; and those who are the worse for drink are so in the night;

For God's purpose for us is not wrath, but salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

And our desire is that you will keep control over those whose lives are not well ordered, giving comfort to the feeble-hearted, supporting those with little strength, and putting up with much from all.

Do not put out the light of the Spirit;

Do not make little of the words of the prophets;