for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain,

For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;

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

Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men,

But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.

For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?

not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.

For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;

for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;

so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Do not quench the Spirit;

do not despise prophetic utterances.