For we know, brothers whom God so loves, that he has chosen you,

so that you set an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Greece.

For the Lord's message has rung out from you not only over Macedonia and Greece, but the story of your belief in God has gone everywhere, so that we never need to mention it.

and to wait for the coming from heaven of his Son, whom he raised from the dead??esus, our deliverer from God's coming wrath.

We had just been through ill-treatment and insults at Philippi, as you remember, but, in the face of great opposition, we took courage by the help of our God, and told you God's good news.

God has thought us fit to be intrusted with the good news, and so we tell it, making no effort to please men, but to please God, who tests our hearts.

We never sought praise from men, either from you or anyone else, though as Christ's apostles we might have stood on our dignity.

That was the kind of affection we had for you, which made us ready to share with you not only God's good news but our own lives too, because you were so dear to us.

We for our part constantly thank God for another reason too??ecause when you received God's message from our lips, you welcomed it not as the message of men but as the message of God, as it really is, which does its work in the hearts of you believers.

For you, brothers, followed the example of God's churches in Judea that are in union with Christ Jesus, for you in your turn had to bear the same ill-treatment from your neighbors as they did from the Jews,

try to keep us from speaking to the heathen so that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God's wrath has overtaken them at last!

For our part, brothers, when we were separated from you for a little while??n person, though not in spirit??e were extremely eager and longed intensely to see you.

For we resolved to come to see you??, Paul, did so again and again??ut Satan held us back.

So when I could not bear it any longer, I made up my mind to stay behind alone at Athens,

But now that Timothy has just come back to me from you, and brought me good news of your faith and love, and told me how kindly you think of me and that you long to see me just as much as I long to see you,

as I pray night and day with intense earnestness that I may see your faces and supply what is lacking in your faith?

so that your hearts may be strong and faultlessly pure in the sight of our God and Father, when our Lord Jesus appears with all his saints!

Now, brothers, we ask and entreat you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, to live as you learned from us that you must live, to please God??s indeed you are doing, only do it more and more.

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

So whoever disregards this is not disregarding man, but God, who gives you his holy Spirit.

so that you may have the respect of the outsiders, and not be dependent upon anybody.

For we can assure you, on the Lord's own authority, that those of us who will still be living when the Lord comes will have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself, at the summons, when the archangel calls and God's trumpet sounds, will come down from heaven, and first those who died in union with Christ will rise;

then those of us who are still living will be caught up with them on clouds into the air to meet the Lord, and so we shall be with the Lord forever.

When people say, "What peace and security!" then suddenly destruction will be upon them, like birth-pains upon a woman about to give birth to a child, and there will be no escape.

But you are not in darkness, brothers, so that that Day should surprise you like thieves.

So we must not sleep like other men, but we must be vigilant and composed.

For those who sleep sleep at night and those who get drunk do so at night,

who died for us so that whether we are still alive or fall asleep we may live with him.

I charge you in the Lord's name to have this letter read to all the brothers.