But you remember yourselves, brothers, that our visit to you was no failure.

We never resorted to flattery (you know that), nor to any pretext for self-seeking (God is witness to that);

We thank God constantly for this too, that when you received the word of the divine message from us, you took it not as a human word but for what it really is, the word of God. It proves effective in you believers,

to prevent anyone being disturbed by these troubles. (Troubles are our lot, you know that well;

for we told you beforehand, when we were with you, that "we Christians are to have trouble" ??and, as you know, it has been so.)

Night and day I pray specially that I may see your faces and supply what is defective in your faith.

Finally, brothers, we beg and beseech you in the Lord Jesus to follow our instructions about the way you are to live so as to satisfy God; you are leading that life, but you are to excel in it still further.

It is God's will that you should be consecrated, that you abstain from sexual vice,

that each of you should learn to take a wife for himself chastely and honourably,

so that your life may be correct in the eyes of the outside world and self-supporting.

Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then it follows that by means of Jesus God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

For we tell you, as the Lord has told us, that we the living, who survive till the Lord comes, are by no means to take precedence of those who have fallen asleep.

You know perfectly well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night;

who died for us that waking in life or sleeping in death we should live together with him.

see that none of you pays back evil for evil, but always aim at what is kind to one another and to all the world;