Recalling continually before our God and Father the efforts that have resulted from your faith, the toil prompted by your love, and the patient endurance sustained by your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Being conscious, my brothers, dear to God, that you have been marked out by God's purpose;

because our good news did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, even as ye have known of what sort we became among you because of you,

So that you became an example to all those who have faith in Christ in Macedonia and Achaia.

For from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not in Macedonia and in Achaia only: but your faith also which ye have unto God, spread herself abroad in all quarters, so greatly that it needeth not us to speak anything at all:

For they themselves proclaim of us what entrance we have to you, and how ye turned to God from images to serve the living and true God;

For yourselves have known, brethren, our entrance in unto you, that it did not become vain,

but having both suffered before, and having been injuriously treated (as ye have known) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the good news of God in much conflict,

But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.

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

nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.

even though as apostles of the Messiah we might have made such demands. Instead, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother tenderly caring for her own children.

so was our affection toward you. Our good will was to have dealt unto you, not the gospel of God only: but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, not to be chargeable to any one of you, we have preached to you the glad tidings of God.

Ye are witnesses, and God, how piously and righteously and blamelessly we have conducted ourselves with you that believe:

even as ye have known, how each one of you, as a father his own children, we are exhorting you, and comforting, and testifying,

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.

For ye brethren became followers of the congregations of God which in Jewry are in Christ Jesus: for ye have suffered like things of your kinsmen, as we ourselves have suffered of the Jews,

which as they killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, even so have they persecuted us, and God they please not, and are contrary to all men:

as they try to keep us from telling the gentiles how they can be saved. As a result, they are constantly adding to the number of sins they have committed. However, wrath has overtaken them at last!

Brothers, although we have been separated from you for a little while in person but not in heart we eagerly desire to see you again face to face.

and therefore we would have come unto you, I Paul once and again: but Satan withstood us.

For what hope or happiness shall we have or what prize to be proud of in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes, except you?

At last our desire to have news of you was so strong that, while we ourselves were waiting at Athens,

that no one be moved in these tribulations, for yourselves have known that for this we are set,

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 cause I also, when I could not stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.

But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you;

this is the very reason, namely, through your faith, brothers, that I have been encouraged about you, in spite of all my distresses and crushing difficulties,

For how can I render God enough thanks for you, for all the joy I have on account of you in the presence of our God,

Furthermore, we beseech you brethren, and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that ye increase more and more, even as ye have received of us, how ye ought to walk and to please God.

for ye have known what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus,

that each one should know how to have his wife in purity and honor,

Not in the passion of evil desires, like the Gentiles, who have no knowledge of God;

That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

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

and that you make it your study to live peaceably, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we have enjoined you;

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

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

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 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.

For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Therefore, comfort one another with what I have told you.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you.

for yourselves have known thoroughly that the day of the Lord as a thief in the night doth so come,

You all belong to the light and the day. We have nothing to do with night or with darkness.

Who was put to death for us, so that, awake or sleeping, we may have a part in his life.

So then, go on comforting and building up one another, as you have been doing.

We beseech you brethren, that ye know them which labour among you, and have the oversight of you in the Lord,

and give you exhortation, that ye have them the more in love: For their work's sake, and be at peace with them.

We desire you brethren warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, forbear the weak, have continual patience toward all men.

Have joy at all times.

God, by whom you have been marked out in his purpose, is unchanging and will make it complete.

I solemnly charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.