Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, that believe in God our father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

favour and peace be with you from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are oblig'd, my brethren, to render thanks to God continually upon your account, as it is but just; since your faith still improves, and your mutual love is always increasing.

so that you are the subject of our glorying in the churches of God, for the constancy of your faith, under all the persecutions and afflictions you endure from men,

by which you may be assur'd, that they will be punish'd by the divine justice, and that you shall be rewarded with the kingdom of God, for which you suffer;

in flaming fire, to take vengeance on those, who know not God, and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Wherefore we continually pray, that our God would by his power effect all the gracious designs of his goodness, and accomplish the work of faith in you;

that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified by you, and you by him, by the favour of our God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.

that adversary that exalts it self above the divine authority of majesty: that is seated in the temple of God, pretending to be it self divine.

wherefore God will suffer a spirit of delusion to work them into the belief of a lye:

As for you, my brethren, the favourites of the Lord, we are oblig'd to render perpetual thanks to God, for having chosen you from the beginning, in purifying you by his spirit, upon your believing the gospel.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ, and God our father, who has loved us, and by his favour given us the advantageous hopes of eternal joys, consolate your souls,