so that you were examples to all that believe, in Macedonia and Achaia.

For from you, the word of the Lord sounded out, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also your faith in God has gone abroad in every place, so that we have no need to speak any thing.

For you yourselves know, brethren, our entrance among you, that it was not in vain.

For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for, laboring night and day, that we might not be burdensome to any one of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

You are witnesses, and God also, in how holy and just and blameless a manner we conducted our selves among you that believe,

that you should walk in a manner worthy of God, who has called you to his own kingdom and glory.

For this reason, also, we thank God without ceasing; be cause, when you received the word of God, as preached by us, you embraced it, not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually works in you that believe.

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea which are in Christ Jesus; for you, also, have suffered the same things from your own countrymen, that they have suffered from the Jews,

forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, in order that they may fill up their sins at all times: but the wrath is coming upon them to the full.

and we sent Timothy our brother and minister of God in the gospel of the Christ, in order that he might strengthen and comfort you with respect to your faith,

that no one be moved by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this:

for even when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were about to be afflicted, as it also came to pass, and as you know.

But now, since Timothy has come to us from you, and has told us the good news of your faith and love, and that you have a good remembrance of us at all times, greatly desiring to see us, as indeed we desire to see you,

night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

in order that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness, in the presence of our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Finally, then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you, by our Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to walk and please God, you would abound more and more.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you keep yourselves from lewdness;

That each one of you know how to keep his vessel in sanctification and in honor,

That no one take advantage of or injure his brother in this matter; because the Lord takes vengeance for all such things, as we also told you before, and fully testified:

Therefore, he that despises, despises not man, but God, who has given us his Holy Spirit.

But with respect to brotherly love, you have no need that I write to you: for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another;

and indeed you do this to all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that you abound in love more and more,

and that you earnestly endeavor to live quietly, and that you attend to your own business, and work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

in order that you may walk with propriety toward those who are without, and may have need of nothing.

But concerning those who have fallen asleep, I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that you may not grieve, as others who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also should we believe that God will, through Jesus, bring with him those who sleep.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we, the living, who remain till the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who are asleep

But, brethren, you have no need that I write to you of - the times and seasons;

for you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night:

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we might live together with him.

and that you esteem them very highly in love on account of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

See that no one render evil for evil to any, but always pursue that which is good toward one another and toward all.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

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

I adjure you by the Lord, that this letter be read to all the holy brethren.