Brothers and sisters beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you;

for the word of the Lord sounded out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith which is towards God has gone abroad, so that we have no need to say anything;

For ye know yourselves, brethren, our entering in which we had to you, that it has not been in vain;

no, God has attested our fitness to be entrusted with the gospel, and so we tell the gospel not to satisfy men but to satisfy the God who tests our hearts.

So that your lives might be pleasing to God, who has given you a part in his kingdom and his glory.

And for this cause we still give praise to God, that, when the word came to your ears through us, you took it, not as the word of man, but, as it truly is, the word of God, which has living power in you who have faith.

forbidding us to speak to the nations that they may be saved, that they may fill up their sins always: but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

wherefore we have desired to come to you, even I Paul, both once and twice, and Satan has hindered us.

For even when we were with you, we warned you plainly in advance that we were going to experience persecution; and so, as you know, it has come to pass.

But now that Timothy has come back to us from [his visit with] you, and has brought us good news of your [steadfast] faith and [the warmth of your] love, and [reported] that you always think kindly of us and treasure your memories of us, longing to see us just as we long to see you,

Thus, my brethren, your conduct has given us great consolation, under all our persecutions and distress.

For God has not called us to uncleanness, but in sanctification.

He therefore that in this disregards his brother, disregards, not man, but God, who has given also his Holy Spirit to you.

For if we believe that Jesus has died and has risen again, so also God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

For we declare to you what the Lord has told us to say: We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have died.

because God has not set us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

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

if it has the least appearance of evil, reject it.

Faithful is he that calls you; and he will do what he has promised.