You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and just and unblamable was our behavior among you that believe:

For you, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for you also have suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

For you are our glory and joy.

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for you yourselves know that we are appointed unto this.

But concerning brotherly love you need not that I write unto you: for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

And indeed you do it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that you increase more and more;

That you may walk honestly toward them that are outside, and that you may have lack of nothing.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them who are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them who are asleep.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that are drunk are drunk in the night.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are idle, encourage the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient toward all men.