Paul, Silas, and Timothy: To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be granted to you.

knowing as we do, brethren, that you are beloved by God and that He has chosen you.

And you followed the pattern set you by us and by the Master, after you had received the Message amid severe persecution, and yet with the joy which the Holy Spirit gives,

For when others speak of us they report the reception we had from you, and how you turned from your idols to God, to be bondservants of the true and ever-living God,

But, as you will remember, after we had already met with suffering and outrage at Philippi, we summoned up boldness, by the help of our God, to tell you God's Good News amid much opposition.

For our preaching was not grounded on a delusion, nor prompted by mingled motives, nor was there fraud in it.

that none of you might be unnerved by your present trials: for you yourselves know that they are our appointed lot.

for this reason in our distress and trouble we have been comforted about you, brethren, by your faith.

while night and day, with intense earnestness, we pray that we may see your faces, and may bring to perfection whatever may be still lacking in your faith?

Thus He will build up your characters, so that you will be faultlessly holy in the presence of our God and Father at the Coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones.

For you know the commands which we laid upon you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

that each man among you shall know how to procure a wife who shall be his own in purity and honour;

that you be not overmastered by lustful cravings, like the Gentiles who have no knowledge of God;

and that in this matter there be no encroaching on the rights of a brother Christian and no overreaching him. For the Lord is an avenger in all such cases, as we have already taught you and solemnly warned you.

But on the subject of love for the brotherhood it is unnecessary for me to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another;

so as to live worthy lives in relation to outsiders, and not be a burden to any one.

Now, concerning those who from time to time pass away, we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, lest you should mourn as others do who have no hope.

Afterwards we who are alive and are still on earth will be caught up in their company amid clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And so we shall be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

But as to times and dates it is unnecessary that anything be written to you.

So then let us not sleep, like the rest of the world, but let us keep awake and be sober.

But let us, belonging--as we do--to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the unruly, comfort the timid, sustain the weak, and be patient towards all.

Be always joyful.

Be unceasing in prayer.

In every circumstance of life be thankful; for this is God's will in Christ Jesus respecting you.

And may God Himself who gives peace, make you entirely holy; and may your spirits, souls and bodies be preserved complete and be found blameless at the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.