Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever [circumstances] I am.

because even in Thessalonica {on more than one occasion} you sent for my need.

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek for the profit that increases to your account.

We give thanks always to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ [when we] pray for you,

[since we] heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints,

because of the hope reserved for you in heaven, which you have heard about beforehand in the word of truth, the gospel,

Because of this also we, from the day we heard about [it], did not cease praying for you, and asking that you may be filled [with] the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual insight,

enabled with all power, according to his glorious might, for all steadfastness and patience with joy,

giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you for a share of the inheritance of the saints in light,

because all [things] in the heavens and on the earth were created by him, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers, all [things] were created through him and for him,

because he was well pleased [for] all the fullness to dwell in him,

of which I became a minister, according to God's stewardship which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God,

for which [purpose] also I labor, striving according to his working which is at work powerfully in me.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on behalf of you, and those in Laodicea, and all those who have not seen my face {in person},

for even if I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

which [things] are all [meant] for destruction by consuming according to human commandments and teachings,

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, [or] free, but Christ [is] all, and in all.

and everything {whatever} you do in word or in deed, giving thanks [for] all [things] in the name of the Lord Jesus to God the Father through him.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing in the Lord.

For the one who does wrong will receive back whatever wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

praying at the same time for us also, that God may open for us a door of the message, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which also {I am a prisoner},

so that I may reveal it, as it is necessary for me to speak.

Let your speech always [be] with grace, seasoned with salt, so that [you] may know how it is necessary for you to answer each one.

whom I have sent to you for this very [reason], in order that you may know {our circumstances} and he may encourage your hearts,

and Jesus who is called Justus. These [are] the only ones who are fellow workers for the kingdom of God from the circumcision, who have been a comfort to me.

For I testify to him that {he is working hard} on behalf of you and those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.

because our gospel did not come to you with word only, but also with power and with the Holy Spirit and with much certainty, just as you know what sort of [people] we became among you for your sake.

for from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything.

For [they] themselves report about us, what sort of welcome we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve [the] living and true God,

For [you] yourselves know, brothers, our reception with you, that it was not in vain,

For our exhortation [is] not from error or from impurity or with deceit,

{For never} did we come with a word of flattery, just as you know, nor with a pretext of greediness (God [is] witness),

Longing for you in this way, we determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own souls, because you had become dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and hardship: working by night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God [which] are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same [things] at the hands of your own people, just as [they] themselves [did] also at the hands of the Jews,

But [when] we were made orphans by separation from you, brothers, for {a short time} (in face, not in heart), [we were] even more eager with great desire to see your face,

For who [is] our hope or joy or crown of boasting? [Is it] not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming?

For you are our glory and joy.

and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, in order to strengthen and to encourage you about your faith,

[so that] no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For [you] yourselves know that we are appointed for this,

for indeed when we were with you we told you beforehand that we were about to be afflicted, just as indeed it happened, and you know.

For what thanks can we repay to God concerning you, because of all the joy [with] which we rejoice because of you before our God,

and [may] the Lord [cause] you to increase and to abound in love for one another and for all, just as also we [do] for you,

Finally therefore, brothers, we ask you and appeal to [you] in the Lord Jesus that, just as you have received from us how it is necessary for you to live and to please God, just as indeed you are living, that you progress even more.

For you know what commands we gave to you through the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: [that] you abstain from sexual immorality;

For God did not call us to impurity, but in holiness.

But concerning brotherly love, I do not have need to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

for indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to progress even more,

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose [again], thus also God will bring those who have fallen asleep through Jesus together with him.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain until the Lord's coming, will not possibly precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always.

for [you] yourselves well know that the day of the Lord is coming in the [same] way as a thief in the night.

for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.

because God did not appoint us for wrath, but for the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live at the same time with him.

See to it that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue good toward one another and toward all [people].

give thanks in everything; for this [is] the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Brothers, pray for us.

for which [purpose] we also pray always for you, that you may be considered worthy of the calling of our God, and he might fulfill every desire for goodness and work of faith with power,

Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, for [that day will not come] unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

For the mystery of lawlessness is at work already; only the one who now restrains [will do so] until he is out of the way,

But we ought to give thanks to God always concerning you, brothers [dearly] loved by the Lord, because God has chosen you [as] first fruits for salvation by the sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth,

for which [purpose] he called you through our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may progress and be honored, just as also [it was] with you,

and that we may be delivered from evil and wicked people, {for not all have the faith}.

For you yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate us, that we did not behave irresponsibly among you,

For even when we were with you, we used to command this to you: that if anyone does not want to work, neither should he eat.

For we hear [that] some among you are living irresponsibly, working [at] nothing, but being busybodies.

But [as for] you, brothers, do not be discouraged [while] doing what is right.

knowing this, that the law [is] not given for a righteous [person] but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and totally worldly, for the one who kills his father and the one who kills his mother, for murderers,

But because of this I was shown mercy, in order that in me foremost, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his total patience, for an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.

For [there is] one God and one mediator between God and human beings, the man Christ Jesus,

who gave himself a ransom for all, the testimony at the proper time,

for which I was appointed a herald and an apostle--I am speaking the truth, [I am] not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

but with good deeds which are fitting for women who profess godliness.

For Adam was formed first, then Eve,

For those who have served well acquire a good standing for themselves, and great boldness in the faith [that is] in Christ Jesus.

who forbid marrying [and insist on] abstaining from foods that God created for sharing in with thankfulness by those who believe and who know the truth,

for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

But reject those {worthless myths told by elderly women}, and train yourself for godliness.

For the training of the body is {somewhat} profitable, but godliness is profitable for everything, [because it] holds promise for the present life and for the [life] to come.

For to this [end] we labor and suffer reproach, because we have put our hope in [the] living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.

Let no one look down on your youth, but be an example for the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

Fix [your] attention on yourself and on your teaching. Continue in them, for [by] doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to show profound respect for their own household first, and to pay back recompense to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

But the one who lives for sensual pleasure is dead [even though she] lives.

But if someone does not provide for his own [relatives], and especially the members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

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

Therefore I want younger [widows] to marry, to bear children, to manage a household, to give the adversary no opportunity for reproach.

For already some have turned away [and followed] after Satan.

For the scripture says, "You must not muzzle an ox [while it] is threshing," and "The worker [is] worthy of his wages."

Reprove those who sin in the presence of all, in order that the rest also may experience fear.

(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach and your frequent illnesses.)

The sins of some people are evident, preceding [them] to judgment, but for some also they follow after [them].

For we have brought nothing into the world, so that neither can we bring anything out.

For the love of money is a root of all evil, by which some, [because they] desire [it], have gone astray from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.