For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you;

so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

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

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

For you remember our labor and toil, brethren; we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of God.

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

hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last.

so that no one would be unsettled by these afflictions. 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.

But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, just as we long to see you

as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

so that he may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Finally, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more.

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

that each one of you know how to take his own spouse for himself in holiness and honor,

and that no man transgress and wrong his brother in this matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anyone.

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do 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 declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

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

But you, brethren, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.

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

and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.