From you the word of the Lord has spread out not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place where your faith in God has become known. As a result, we do not need to say anything about it.

We cared so deeply for you that we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but our very lives. That is how dear you were to us.

Brothers, you remember our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not become a burden to any of you while we proclaimed the gospel of God to you.

Here is another reason why we constantly give thanks to God: When you received God's word, which you heard from us, you did not accept it as the word of humans but for what it really is the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

Brothers, although we have been separated from you for a little while in person but not in heart we eagerly desire to see you again face to face.

so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions, for which you are aware that we were destined.

But Timothy has just now returned from visiting you and has told us the good news about your faith and love. He also told us that you always have fond memories of us and want to see us, just as we want to see you.

That's why, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you by your faith.

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we have in God's presence because of you?

We pray very hard night and day that we may see you again face to face, so that we may equip you with whatever is lacking in your faith.

Now then, brothers, you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, as in fact you are doing. We ask and encourage you in the Lord to do so even more.

For it is God's will that you be sanctified: You must abstain from sexual immorality.

so that you may win the respect of outsiders, and have need of nothing.

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve like other people who have no hope.

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

For we declare to you what the Lord has told us to say: We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have died.

With a shout of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of God's trumpet, the Lord himself will come down from heaven, and the dead who belong to the Messiah will rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

So then, encourage one another with these words.

When people say, "There is peace and security," destruction will strike them as suddenly as labor pains come to a pregnant woman, and they will not be able to escape.

Therefore, let's not fall asleep like others do, but let's stay awake and be sober.

But since we belong to the day, let's be sober. We must put on the breastplate of faith and love, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

So then, encourage one another and build each other up, as you are doing.

In everything be thankful, because this is God's will for you in the Messiah Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit's fire.