We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;

for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.

For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain,

For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;

For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness—

But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.

Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,

But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.

For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.

For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

For you are our glory and joy.

so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.

For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.

For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.

for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;

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

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

and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;

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

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;

For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;

For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Brethren, pray for us.