We thank God always about all of you, making recollection of you in our prayers,

We know, my brothers who are dearly loved by God, about your election [i.e., that you were chosen by God because of your obedient faith],

For the word of the Lord has resounded from you and has echoed [like thunder], not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place [the news of] your [great] faith in God has spread, so that we never need to say anything about it.

For they report about us what kind of entrance we had with you, and how ye turned to God from the idols to serve a living and TRUE God,

For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, about our coming to you -- it has not proven to be purposeless.

For our appeal does not rest on a delusion, nor spring from any impure motive; there is no fraud about it.

This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the message of God, which also works effectively in you believers.

Who, to make the measure of their sins complete, kept us from giving the word of salvation to the Gentiles: but the wrath of God is about to come on them in the fullest degree.

But brothers, after we were separated from you for a short time --- in person but not in spirit --- we became all the more eager [to come to you] and strongly desired to see you in person. [Note: The word "separated" here denotes the traumatic experience of a child being forcibly removed from its parents. It had been about six months since Paul left Thessalonica under adverse circumstances].

And we sent Timothy, our brother, and a helper of God, and our fellow workman in the good-news of the Christ, in order to establish you and to encourage you about your faith,

And when we were with you, we said to you that trouble was before us; and so it came about, as you see.

So, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to find out about your faith, fearing that the tempter had tempted you and that my labor had been in vain.

But now Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news about your faith and love and reported that you always have good memories of us, wanting to see us, as we also want to see you.

For this cause, brothers, in all our trouble and grief we were comforted about you because of your faith;

For what thanks can we repay God about you, for all the joy in which we rejoiced because of you before our God,

Finally, believers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to walk and please God (just as you are actually doing) and that you excel even more and more [pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation].

not to transgress and to cheat his brother in the affair, because the Lord is vengeful about all these things, as also we forewarned you and solemnly testified.

But about brotherly love ye have no need to write to you, for ye yourselves are taught by God in order to love each other.

in order that you may walk about circumspectly toward the aliens, and you may have need of nothing.

Also we do not want you to have any misunderstanding, brothers, about those who are falling asleep, so as to keep you from grieving over them as others do who have no hope.

But about the times and the seasons, brothers, ye have no need to be written to you.

When people say, "Such peace and security!" then suddenly destruction falls upon them, like birth pains upon a woman who is about to become a mother, but they shall not escape, no, not at all.

But you brothers are not in the dark about that day, so that it sneaks up on you like a thief,

Brothers, pray about us.