for my gospel did not come to you in word only, but in power also, and in the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction. For you know also the manner in which I behaved myself among you for your sakes.

And you took us and the Lord as your example, after the word had come to you in much trouble, with joy in the Holy Spirit;

and to await for the coming of his Son from the heavens, the Son whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, our Deliverer from the wrath to come.

For our witness does not come from error or from an unclean heart or from deceit:

for at no time did we come with speech of flattery, (as ye have known,) nor in a pretext for covetousness, (God is witness!)

forbidding us from speaking to the Gentiles (non-Jews) so that they may be saved. So, as always, they fill up [to the brim] the measure of their sins [allotted to them by God]. But [God’s] wrath has come upon them at last [completely and forever].

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].

For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again [wanted to come], but Satan hindered us.

For what is our hope or happiness or crown of boasting, except you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ when He comes?

for even when we were with you, we said to you beforehand, that we are about to suffer tribulation, as also it did come to pass, and ye have known it;

For this reason, when I was no longer able to keep quiet, I sent to get news of your faith, fearing that you might be tested by the Evil One and that our work might come to nothing.

But now of Timothy, having come to us from you, and having proclaimed good news to us of your faith and love, and that ye always have a good recollection of us, longing to see us, just as we also you,

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus make a way for us to come to you;

so that He may strengthen your hearts to be faultless in purity in the sight of God, when our Lord Jesus comes back with all His consecrated ones.

For if we have faith that Jesus underwent death and came back again, even so those who are sleeping will come again with him by God's power.

For on the Lord's own authority we say that those of us who may be left behind and are still living when the Lord comes back, will have no advantage at all over those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord Himself, at the summons sounded by the archangel's call and by God's trumpet, will come down from heaven, and first of all the dead in union with Christ will rise,

For ye yourselves know accurately that the day of Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

While men are saying "Peace and safety," then, like birth-pangs upon a woman with child, destruction will come upon them suddenly. In no wise will they escape.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that "the Day" should come upon you like a bandit.

He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him.

May God Himself, who gave you peace, consecrate your whole being. May you be safely kept, spirit, soul, and body, so as to be blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes back.