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.

Brothers, whom God loves, we know that he has chosen you,

Because the Good News that we brought came home to you, not merely as so many words, but with a power and a fulness of conviction due to the Holy Spirit. For you know the life that we lived among you for your good.

For it was from you that the Lord's Message resounded throughout Macedonia and Greece; and, more than that, your faith in God has become known far and wide; so that there is no need for us to say another word.

Yes, Brothers, you yourselves know that your reception of us was not without result.

Never at any time, as you know, did we use the language of flattery, or make false professions in order to hide selfish aims. God will bear witness to that.

In our strong affection for you, that seemed to us the best way of sharing with you, not only God's Good news, but our very lives as well--so dear had you become to us.

You will bear witness, and God also, that our relations with you who believed in Christ were pure, and upright, and beyond reproach.

Indeed, you know that, like a father with his own children, we used to encourage and comfort every one of you, and solemnly plead with you;

So that you should make your daily lives worthy of God who is calling you into the glory of his Kingdom.

This, too, is a reason why we, on our part, are continually thanking God--because, in receiving the teaching that you had from us, you accepted it, not as the teaching of man, but as what it really is--the teaching of God, which is even now doing its work within you who believe in Christ.

That was why we made up our minds to go and see you--at least I, Paul, did, more than once--but Satan put difficulties in our way.

So that none of you should be shaken by the troubles through which you are passing. You yourselves know that we are destined to meet with such things.

For, even while we were with you, we warned you beforehand that we were certain to encounter trouble. And so it proved, as you know.

Therefore, since I could no longer endure the uncertainty, I sent to make inquiries about your faith, fearing that the Tempter had tempted you, and that our toil might prove to have been in vain.

For it is new life to us to know that you are holding fast to the Lord.

How can we thank God enough for all the happiness that you are giving us in the sight of our God?

Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face, and make good any deficiency in your faith.

Further, Brothers, we beg and exhort you in the name of our Lord Jesus to carry out more fully than ever--as indeed you are already doing--all that you have heard from us as to what your daily life must be, if it is to please God.

For you have not forgotten the directions that we gave you on the authority of our Lord Jesus.

For this is God's purpose--that you should be pure; abstaining from all immorality;

So that your conduct may win respect from those outside the Church, and that you may not want for anything.

We do not wish you to remain in ignorance, Brothers, with regard to those who have passed to their rest, that your grief may not be like that of others, who have no hope.

For, as we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring, with Jesus, those who through him have passed to their rest.

This we tell you on the authority of the Lord--that those of us who are still living at the Coming of the Lord will not anticipate those who have passed to their rest.

You yourselves know well that the Day of the Lord will come just as a thief comes in the night.

When people are saying 'All is quiet and safe,' it is then that, like birth-pains upon a woman with child, Ruin comes suddenly upon them, and there will be no escape!

You, however, Brothers, are not in darkness, that the daylight should take you by surprise as if you were thieves.

It is at night that men sleep, and at night that drunkards get drunk.

That, whether we are still watching or have fallen asleep, we may live with him.

Take care that none of you ever pays back wrong for wrong, but always follow the kindest course with one another and with every one.