The person who observes a certain day [as specially sacred], does so out of devotion to the Lord. And the person who eats [only certain foods] does so out of devotion to the Lord, for he is thankful to God [for what he eats]. And the person who refuses to eat [certain foods], does so out of devotion to the Lord and he is thankful to God [for what he does eat].

So, whether you people eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to honor God.

In word

encourage and strengthen your hearts in every good thing you do and say.

Little children [i.e., dear ones], we should not [merely] claim to love [people], or [even just] talk about it, but [we should love] by what we do [for them] in a genuine way.

Giving

[May you] give thanks to the Father who has enabled you to share [i.e., eventually] in the inheritance of the saints [i.e., God's holy people] in [the kingdom of] light.

rooted and built up in [your relationship to] Him, established by your faith [or, "in the faith"], just as you were taught, overflowing with thanksgiving.

First of all, I want to thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being told about throughout the whole world.

Always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name [i.e., by the authority] of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank [God] for everything, for this is what God wants for you in [the fellowship of] Christ Jesus.

[So], through Jesus then, we should continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the expression of our lips as we confess His name [to be our Lord].

And you yourselves are also like living stones, being constructed into a spiritual house. For you are like holy priests who offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

If someone's gift is speaking, he should [be sure to] say only what God wants him to. If a person's gift is serving, he should do so by the strength provided by God [who supplies all such gifts]. This is so that, in using all gifts, God may be honored through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs honor and power forever and ever. May it be so.

God

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you a spirit [i.e., a disposition] of wisdom and revelation [or, "give you the spiritual gifts of wisdom and revelation"], so you can have full knowledge of God.

and that everyone's mouth should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

[This letter is from] Paul, and Silvanus and Timothy, [and is being sent] to the church of the Thessalonians [Note: This was a town in present-day northeastern Greece] in [fellowship with] God, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God's unearned favor and peace be upon you.

For, to which angel did God ever say [Psa. 2:7], "You are my Son, today I have conceived you"? And again [II Sam. 7:14], "I will be His Father, and He will be my Son"?

Every person who denies [the truth about] the Son [See 4:2-3], does not have the Father [living in his heart]; but, the person who confesses [the truth about] the Son has the Father [living in his heart] also.

General references

Dear [friend], you are accomplishing a faithful work whenever you do something for the brothers [traveling in the Lord's work], especially when they are strangers [to you].