We know, brothers loved by God, that you are chosen,

You are witnesses with God, how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews;

who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and did not please God, and are contrary to all men;

For you are our glory and our joy.

that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.

For truly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.

Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God, even as you are living, that you excel more and more.

But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;

that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.

For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.

then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.

For when they are saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief.

You are all children of light, and children of the day. We do not belong to the night, nor to darkness,

For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunk are drunk in the night.

But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,