Brothers, it is our duty always to thank God about you, as is but right, considering the wonderful growth of your faith, and because, without exception, your love for one another is continually increasing.

These persecutions will vindicate the justice of God's judgment, and will result in your being reckoned worthy of God's Kingdom, for the sake of which you are now afflicted;

And to give relief to you who are suffering, as well as to us, at the Appearing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with his mighty angels, 'in flaming fire.'

When he comes to be honour ed in his People,' and to be revered in all who have learned to believe in him (for you also believed our testimony)--as he will be on 'That Day.'

With this in view, our constant prayer for you is that our God may count you worthy of the Call that you have received, and by his power make perfect your delight in all goodness and the efforts that have resulted from your faith.

Do not let any one deceive you, whatever he may do. For it will not come until after the Great Apostasy, and the appearing of that Incarnation of Wickedness, that the Lost soul,

For at the Coming of the Lord there will be great activity on the part of Satan, in the form of all kinds of deceptive miracles, signs, and marvels, as well as of wicked attempts to delude--

But, Brothers, whom the Lord loves, it is our duty always to thank God about you, for, from the first, God chose you for Salvation through the purifying influence of the Spirit, and your belief in the Truth.

And may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and, in his loving-kindness, gave us unfailing consolation and good ground for hope,

In conclusion, Brothers, pray for us--pray that the Lord's Message may spread rapidly, and be received everywhere with honour, as it was among you;

And that we may be preserved from wrong-headed and wicked men- -for it is not every one who believes in Christ.

For you know well that you ought to follow our example. When we were with you, our life was not ill-ordered,

Nor did we eat any one's bread without paying for it. Night and day, laboring and toiling, we used to work at our trades, so as not to be a burden upon any of you.

This was not because we had not a right to receive support, but our object was to give you a pattern for you to copy.