I, Paul, give you this word of love in my handwriting. Keep in memory that I am a prisoner. Grace be with you.

Recalling continually before our God and Father the efforts that have resulted from your faith, the toil prompted by your love, and the patient endurance sustained by your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Brothers and sisters beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you;

Because our good news came to you, not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, so that you were completely certain of it; even as you saw what our behaviour to you was like from our love to you.

and you imitated us, and were imitators of the Lord, having receiv'd the word, notwithstanding all your afflictions, with that alacrity, which the holy spirit inspires.

so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

For the word of the Lord has resounded from you and has echoed [like thunder], not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place [the news of] your [great] faith in God has spread, so that we never need to say anything about it.

And awaiting his Son out of the heavens - whom he raised from among the dead, - Jesus: Who is to rescue us out of the anger that is coming.

For you know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you has not been ineffective (fruitless, in vain),

for you remember that although I had already borne ill-treatment and insult at Philippi, I took courage in my God to tell you the gospel of God, in the face of much opposition.

but as we were allowed of God, that the gospel should be committed unto us: even so we speak, not as though we intended to please men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

For it is common knowledge among you that we never made use of smooth-sounding false words, and God is witness that at no time were we secretly desiring profit for ourselves,

[And] we were not looking for honor from people, either from you or from anyone else, even though, as apostles of Christ, we could have become a burden [to you]. [Note: The idea seems to be that the apostles could have claimed financial support, but chose not to].

We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

For you have the memory, my brothers, of our trouble and care; how, working night and day, so that we might not be a trouble to any of you, we gave you the good news of God.

Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

you likewise know, that we exhorted and encouraged every one of you, as a father doth his children,

So that your lives might be pleasing to God, who has given you a part in his kingdom and his glory.

And we also thank God continually for this, that when you received the word of God [concerning salvation] which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its inherent, supernatural power in those of faith].

For, ye, became, imitators, brethren, of the assemblies of God which are in Judaea, in Christ Jesus, in that, the same things, ye, also suffered by your own fellow-countrymen, even as, they, also by the Jews:

forbidding us from speaking to the Gentiles (non-Jews) so that they may be saved. So, as always, they fill up [to the brim] the measure of their sins [allotted to them by God]. But [God’s] wrath has come upon them at last [completely and forever].

For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again [wanted to come], but Satan hindered us.

At last our desire to have news of you was so strong that, while we ourselves were waiting at Athens,

And sent Timothy - our brother, and God's minister in the glad-message of the Christ - that he might confirm and console you over your faith,

so that no one would be unsettled by these difficulties [to which I have referred]. For you know that we have been destined for this [as something unavoidable in our position].

For also when we were with you we foretold you that we were going to be oppressed, just as it also happened, and ye know.

So, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to find out about your faith, fearing that the tempter had tempted you and that my labor had been in vain.

But now of Timothy, having come to us from you, and having proclaimed good news to us of your faith and love, and that ye always have a good recollection of us, longing to see us, just as we also you,

this is the very reason, namely, through your faith, brothers, that I have been encouraged about you, in spite of all my distresses and crushing difficulties,

for now we [really] live, if you [continue to] stand firm in [the service of] the Lord [i.e., Paul could enjoy life much more in knowing that the Thessalonians were living for the Lord faithfully].

For what thanks can we recompense to God again for you, over all the joy that we joy for your sakes before our God,

as night and day I continue to pray with deepest earnestness and keenest eagerness that I may see your faces and round out to completeness what is lacking in your faith?

so that He may strengthen your hearts to be faultless in purity in the sight of God, when our Lord Jesus comes back with all His consecrated ones.

Finally therefore, brothers, we ask you, and summon in Lord Jesus, that just as ye received from us how ye ought to walk and to please God, that ye may abound more.

For you have not forgotten the directions that we gave you on the authority of our Lord Jesus.

For it is God's will that you should keep pure in person, that you should practice abstinence from sexual immorality,

that each man among you should learn to take his own wife out of pure and honorable motives,

not in the affection of desire, as also the nations that were not knowing God,

that no one should do wrong and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord takes vengeance for all such things, as we told you before and solemnly warned you.

Because it is God's purpose that our way of life may be not unclean but holy.

So that he who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who gave you his Holy Spirit.

It is not needed that I should write to you about brotherly love; for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.

And, truly, you are lovers of all the brothers in Macedonia; but it is our desire that your love may be increased still more;

Also, that you endeavor to live quietly and to mind your own business, and to work with your hands (as I charged you).

so that you may live influentially with the outsiders, and not be dependent on anybody.

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about those who are asleep, so that ye may not grieve, as also the others who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then through Jesus, God will bring back with Him those who have fallen asleep.

For on the Lord's own authority we say that those of us who may be left behind and are still living when the Lord comes back, will have no advantage at all over those who have fallen asleep.

After that, we, the living who are left, together with them, shall be caught away, in clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: - and, thus, evermore, with the Lord, shall we be!

Now as to the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you.

for you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night.

As soon as they begin to say - Peace! and safety! then, suddenly, upon them, cometh destruction, - just as the birth-throe unto her that is with child, - and in nowise shall they escape.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that that day, like a thief, should take you by surprise;

For, they that sleep, by night, do sleep, and, they that drink, by night, do drink: -

For God has not destined us to [incur His] wrath [that is, He did not select us to condemn us], but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

who died for us, so that whether we still live or sleep we may live in fellowship with Him.

But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

and give you exhortation, that ye have them the more in love: For their work's sake, and be at peace with 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.

Take care that none of you ever pays back evil for evil, but always keep looking for ways to show kindness to one another and everybody.

in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good.

The very God of peace sanctify you throughout. And I pray God that your whole spirit, soul, and body, be kept faultless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful, is he that is calling you, - who, also will perform.

I adjure you by the Lord that the letter be read to all the holy brothers.

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

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

so that we are always boasting of you among the churches of God for your patient endurance and faith, in spite of your persecutions and crushing sorrows which you are enduring.

This is a positive proof of the righteous judgment of God [a sign of His fair verdict], so that you will be considered worthy of His kingdom, for which indeed you are suffering.

If, at least, it is a, righteous thing with God, to recompense, affliction, unto them that afflict you,

And, unto you that are afflicted, release, with us, - by the revealing of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with his messengers of power,

in a flame of fire, who will take vengeance on those who do not know God, that is, those who will not listen to the good news of our Lord Jesus.

these shall suffer punishment in that day, even eternal destruction, far from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power,

when on that day He comes to be glorified in His consecrated ones and to be admired by all who believe in Him because our testimony has been confidently accepted among you.

With this in view we are always praying for you too, that our God may make you worthy of His call, and by His power fully satisfy your every desire for goodness, and complete every activity of your faith,

so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you through union with Him, in accordance with the favor of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we conjure you, brethren, that with respect to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our being assembled with him,

not to let your minds be easily unsettled or even be excited, whether by some message by the Spirit or by some saying or letter that is claimed as coming from me, saying that the day of the Lord is already here.

Do not let anybody at all deceive you about this, because that cannot take place until the great revolt occurs and the representative of lawlessness is uncovered, the one who is doomed to destruction,

the one who keeps up his opposition and so far exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, that he actually takes his seat in the sanctuary of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Do you not remember that while I was with you I used to tell you this?

So now you know the power that is holding him back, that he is to be unveiled at His own appointed time.

For, the secret, of lawlessness, already, is inwardly working itself, - only, until, he that restraineth at present, shall be gone, out of the midst:

And then will come the revelation of that evil one, whom the Lord Jesus will put to death with the breath of his mouth, and give to destruction by the revelation of his coming;

that is, the representative of lawlessness, whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan, with his plenitude of power and pretended signs and wonders,

And with every deceit of wrongdoing among those whose fate is destruction; because they were quite without that love of the true faith by which they might have salvation.

For this reason God is sending on them an energy of delusion, that they should put faith in a falsehood;

so that all who have refused to believe the truth but have chosen unrighteousness instead might be condemned.

But it is right for us to give praise to God at all times for you, brothers, loved by the Lord, because it was the purpose of God from the first that you might have salvation, being made holy by the Spirit and by faith in what is true:

and to this end He called you by our preaching of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that ye were taught, whether by word or by letter from us.

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and graciously given us encouragement that is eternal, and a hope that is well-founded,

encourage you and strengthen you to do and say everything that is right.

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the message of the Lord may continue to spread and prove its glorious power as it did among you,

and that we may be delivered from unprincipled and wicked men; for not all men have faith.

We have confidence in you through the Lord that you are now practicing the directions which we give you and that you will continue to do so.

Howbeit, we charge you, brethren, - that, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, ye be withdrawing yourselves from every brother - who, in a disorderly way, doth walk, and not according to the instruction which ye received from us.

For, ye yourselves, know, how needful it is to be imitating us, in that we were not disorderly among you,

I did not eat my food as a gift from any man, but in toil and travail, night and day, I worked, so that I might not be a burden to any of you.

Not that I have no right to be supported, but to make myself an example for you to follow.