Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

Because our good news came to you, not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, so that you were completely certain of it; even as you saw what our behaviour to you was like from our love to you.

and to [look forward and confidently] wait for [the coming of] His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who [personally] rescues us from the coming wrath [and draws us to Himself, granting us all the privileges and rewards of a new life with Him].

fain, in our yearning affection for you, to impart not only the gospel of God to you but our very souls as well ??you had so won our love.

You are witnesses, with God, how holy and upright and free from all evil was our way of life among you who have faith;

to live lives [of honor, moral courage, and personal integrity] worthy of the God who [saves you and] calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

But when Timothy came even now unto us from you, and brought us glad tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, even as we also to see you;

For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

Finally, believers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to walk and please God (just as you are actually doing) and that you excel even more and more [pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation].

For this is God's will--your purity of life, that you abstain from fornication;

God has not called us to an unclean life, but to one of purity.

But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

For indeed you already do practice it toward all the believers throughout Macedonia [by actively displaying your love and concern for them]. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, that you excel [in this matter] more and more,

and to make it your ambition to live quietly and peacefully, and to mind your own affairs and work with your hands, just as we directed you,

so that you may live decently toward those outside, and may have need of nothing.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again [from the dead], [we also believe] that God will bring [back to life], along with Jesus, those in [fellowship with] Him who have fallen asleep [in death].

And this say we unto you in the word of the Lord, that we which live and are remaining in the coming of the Lord, shall not come before they which sleep.

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.

then shall we which live and remain, be caught up with them also in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

In every circumstance of life be thankful; for this is God's will in Christ Jesus respecting you.