For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

that each of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor [being available for God’s purpose and separated from things profane],

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

Now, concerning those who from time to time pass away, we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, lest you should mourn as others do who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again [from the dead], [we also believe] that God will bring [back to life], along with Jesus, those in [fellowship with] Him who have fallen asleep [in death].

For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then, we who [will still] be alive, that are left, will be caught up together with them into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so [from then on] we will always be with the Lord.

When they say, There is peace and no danger, then sudden destruction will come on them, as birth-pains on a woman with child; and they will not be able to get away from it.

maintain an intire affection for them, upon account of their office, and don't form any brigues against them.

And our desire is that you will keep control over those whose lives are not well ordered, giving comfort to the feeble-hearted, supporting those with little strength, and putting up with much from all.

but examine all things. Hold firm the good.

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. {The end of the First Epistle unto the Thessalonians, Sent from Athens.}

From: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. To: The church of the Thessalonians in union with God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Unceasing thanks are due from us to God on your behalf, brethren. They are appropriate because your faith is growing greatly, and the love of every one of you for all the others goes on increasing.

Therefore, we speak of you with pride among the churches of God for your steadfastness [your unflinching endurance, and patience] and your firm faith in the midst of all the persecution and [crushing] distress which you endure.

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

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.

That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Give no belief to false words: because there will first be a falling away from the faith, and the revelation of the man of sin, the son of destruction,

And you know what restrains him now [from being revealed]; it is so that he will be revealed at his own [appointed] time.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already working, only he who restrains it until now will develop from the midst.

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 we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.

And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

nor have we eaten bread from any one without cost; but in toil and hardship working night and day not to be chargeable to any one of you:

This was not because we had not a claim upon you, but it arose from a desire to set you an example--for you to imitate us.

And to such we proclaim and beseech by our Lord Jesus Christ, that, with freedom from care working, they should eat their own bread.

But be not you, my brethren, discouraged from well-doing. And if any obey not our order,

And if any man does not give attention to what we have said in this letter, take note of that man, and keep away from him, so that he may be shamed.

May the Lord, from whom all peace comes, himself give you his peace at all times and in all ways. May he be with you all.

These words of love to you at the end are in my writing, Paul's writing, and this is the mark of every letter from me.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen. {The end of the Second Epistle unto the Thessalonians, Sent from Athens.}

From: Paul, an apostle of the Messiah Jesus, by the command of God our Savior and the Messiah Jesus, our hope.

Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

At my departure from Macedonia, I advised you to stay at Ephesus in order to charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,

Or to give attention to stories and long lists of generations, from which come questionings and doubts, in place of God's ordered way of life which is in faith;

But the goal of our instruction is love [which springs] from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

and the loving-kindness of our Lord was boundless, and filled me with that faith and love which come from union with Christ Jesus.

Now to the King of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, only wise God, be honor and glory from age to age. Amen.)

holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concerning the faith:

Among these people are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered over to Satan [Note: This probably refers to withdrawing fellowship from them. See I Cor. 5:1-5], so that they would learn not to speak against God [anymore].

I wish, therefore, that men pray in every place, lifting up kind hands, apart from anger and reasoning;

A woman should quietly learn from others with entire submissiveness.

And I trust not the woman to teach, neither to exercise authority over the man, but to be in freedom from care.

for Adam was the first that was form'd, then Eve.

But she [i.e., womankind] will be saved [from condemnation, in spite of the "curse" of suffering pain] through childbearing [See Gen. 3:16], provided they [i.e., all women] continue to have faith and love and holiness, along with discretion.

Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of [only] one wife, sober-minded [Note: When this word, used here figuratively, is used in its literal sense, it means to abstain from intoxicating drinks], sensible, respectable, hospitable, capable of teaching.

not given to excesses from wine, not a striker, but mild, not addicted to contention, not fond of money,

He must not be a new convert, or he may grow conceited and incur criticism from slanderous people.

Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

but upholding and fully understanding the mystery [that is, the true doctrine] of the [Christian] faith with a clear conscience [resulting from behavior consistent with spiritual maturity].

their wives must be likewise grave, free from scandal, sober, and always faithful.

For those who have done good work as Deacons get for themselves a good position and become free from fear in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

And, beyond controversy, great is the mystery of our religion-- that Christ appeared in human form, and His claims justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels and proclaimed among Gentile nations, was believed on in the world, and received up again into glory.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

through plausible sophists who are seared in conscience ??3 men who prohibit marriage and insist on abstinence from foods which God created for believing men, who understand the Truth, to partake of with thanksgiving.

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

But, from the profane and old-wives' stories, excuse thyself, and be training thyself unto godliness;

don't neglect the gift you have, which was given you with the ministerial charge, when you receiv'd imposition of hands from the presbytery.

Hold firm to thyself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this thou will save both thyself and those who hear thee.

Widows who really need it must be supported from the funds.

Press these facts upon them, so that they may live lives free from reproach.

and have a good reputation for Christian service, such as bringing up children, being hospitable to strangers, washing the feet of God's people, helping people in distress, or devoting herself to any form of doing good.

But refuse younger widows, for whenever their physical desires lead them away from Christ, they want to marry,

And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

For some [young widows] have already turned away [from their commitment to God] to serve Satan.

If a believing woman has widows dependent on her, she should relieve their wants, and save the Church from being burdened--so that the Church may relieve the widows who are really in need.

For the Writings say, It is not right to keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it. And, The worker has a right to his reward.

Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it comes from two or three witnesses.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels that you guard and keep these rules without bias, doing nothing out of favoritism.

Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.

Those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent the name of God and Christian teaching from being discredited.

Those who have believing masters should not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers, but should serve them better, since those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved.

Teach and encourage these things.

If anyone teaches a different doctrine [i.e., from what has been urged above], and does not agree to [proclaim the] sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to teaching that is godly [i.e., in harmony with godliness],

he is conceited, understanding nothing, but having a morbid interest concerning controversies and disputes about words, from which come envy, strife, slanders, evil suspicions,

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Nothing to this world we bring; from it take we nothing.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

But as for you, O man of God, flee from these things; aim at and pursue righteousness [true goodness, moral conformity to the character of God], godliness [the fear of God], faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness.

To keep the word untouched by evil, clear from all shame, till the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ:

He alone possesses immortality [absolute exemption from death] and lives in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal power and dominion! Amen.

In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.

O Timothy, guard that which is committed unto thee , turning away from the profane babblings and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called;

By professing it, some people have deviated from the faith.

Grace be with all of you.

From: Paul, an apostle of the Messiah Jesus by God's will in keeping with the promise of life that is in the Messiah Jesus.

To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

The reason I am reminding you [of these things] is so that you will rekindle the gift from God, which is in your life through the laying on my hands. [Note: This "gift" was probably his ordination to serve as an evangelist (See 4:1-5), and in addition, may have included a supernatural "spiritual gift" bestowed by the apostle Paul].

who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

but now [that extraordinary purpose and grace] has been fully disclosed and realized by us through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who [through His incarnation and earthly ministry] abolished death [making it null and void] and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.