We thank God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,

that our gospel came not to you in word only, but with power and with the Holy Spirit and with full assurance, as you know what we were among you for your sakes.

For from you the word of the Lord was proclaimed not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith with respect to God went into every place, so that we had no need to say any thing;

for they declare of us what introduction we had to you, and how you turned from idols to God, to serve the living and true God,

and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

For you know, brothers, our introduction to you that it was not in vain,

For our exhortation was not of error, nor of impurity, nor with deceit,

For we used at no time a word of flattery, as you know, nor a pretext for covetousness, God is witness,

For you remember, brothers, our labor and weariness; that working night and day not to be burdensome to any one of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, that receiving the word of God heard from us, you received not a word of men, but, as it is in truth, a word of God, who also works in you that believe.

For you, brothers, became followers of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which were in Judea, for you also suffered the same things from your countrymen, which they did from the Jews

But we, brothers, being deprived of you for a short time in presence, not in heart, used greater diligence to see your face, with much desire.

For which reason we wished to come to you; I Paul indeed once and again, and Satan hindered us.

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

For you are our glory and joy.

that no one should be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed for this;

for indeed when we came to you, we told you before that we were about to suffer affliction, as it also happened, and you know.

For this reason, being no longer able to forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest in some way the tempter should have tempted you, and our labor be in vain.

for now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord.

For what thanksgiving can we render to God for you for all the joy with which we rejoice on your account before our God,

For you know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God, your purity, that you should abstain from fornication,

For God has not called us to impurity, but to purity.

But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I should write to you; for you are taught by God to love one another;

for you also do the same to all the brothers in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, to abound still more,

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also will God bring with him those that have fallen asleep on account of Jesus.

For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who live and remain till the coming of the Lord, shall not anticipate those that have fallen asleep,

for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first,

for you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.

for you are all children of light, and children of day; we are not of night nor of darkness.

For they that sleep sleep in the night, and they that are drunk drink in the night;

but let us who are of day be sober, putting on a cuirass of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation,

for God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we may live together with him.

See that no one renders evil for evil, but always pursue the good both one to another and to all.

give thanks on every occasion; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to us.

abstain from every form of evil.

Brothers, pray for us.