For, yourselves, know, brethren, our entrance which was unto you - that it hath not proved void;

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

That was the kind of affection we had for you, which made us ready to share with you not only God's good news but our own lives too, because you were so dear to us.

to live lives [of honor, moral courage, and personal integrity] worthy of the God who [saves you and] calls you into His own kingdom and 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 you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same [kind of] persecution from your own countrymen, as they did from the Jews,

which as they killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, even so have they persecuted us, and God they please not, and are contrary to all men:

who by obstructing our endeavours to save the Gentiles, continue to fill up the measure of their enormities; for which consummate vengeance is falling upon them.

For which reason we made attempts to come to you, even I, Paul, once and again; but Satan kept us from coming.

For what is my hope, or joy? What is the victor's wreath in which I exult? What but your own selves in the presence of our Lord Jesus, at his coming!

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 what thanks can we repay God about you, for all the joy in which we rejoiced because of you before our God,

Night and day, making very abundant entreaties, that we may see your face, and fit in the things which are lacking in your faith?

And last of all, the prayer which we make to you from our heart and in the name of the Lord Jesus, is this: that as we made clear to you what sort of behaviour is pleasing to God, as in fact you are doing now, so you will go on in these ways, but more and more.

For you are aware of the instructions which we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, which hath sent his holy spirit among you.

And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

But let us which are of the day be sober, armed with the breast plate of faith and love, and with hope of salvation as a helmet.

which died for us: that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Faithful is he, which called you: which will also do it.

Paul, Silvanus and Timothy. Unto the congregation of the Thessalonians, which are in God our father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I ought always to thank God for you, brothers, as is fitting because of the abundant growth of your faith and of the overflowing love with which every one of you is filled toward one another.

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 proof of God's righteous judgment, His aim being to let you show yourselves worthy of His kingdom, for which you are suffering; since,

and to you which are troubled, rest with us; when the Lord Jesus shall show himself from heaven, with his mighty angels,

which shall be punished with everlasting damnation, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power,

when He comes on that day to be glorified in His people and to be wondered at among all who have believed, including you--because you believed the testimony which we brought for your acceptance.

For which also we pray always about you, so that our God will make you worthy of the calling, and will fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith with power.

that ye be not suddenly moved from your mind, and be not troubled; neither by spirit, neither by words, nor yet by letter, which should seem to come from us, as though the day of Christ were at hand.

Who puts himself against all authority, lifting himself up over all which is named God or is given worship; so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, putting himself forward as God.

And now ye know that which restrains, for him to be revealed in his own time.

For the mystery of that iniquity doth he already work, which only looketh, till he be taken out of the way

and in all deception of unrighteousness in those who are perishing, in return for which, they did not accept the love of the truth in order for them to be saved.

that all they might be damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

for which he called you, through our good-news, for an acquired possession of glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, brothers, stand fast, and hold fast the teachings which you have been taught by me, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

but the Lord is faithful, which shall establish you, and keep you from evil.

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.

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition, which they received from us.

not, that we had no just claim, but to present ourselves as a pattern, which you should imitate,

pursuant to the maxim, which we laid down, when among you, "he that refuses to work should be deny'd food."

For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

The salutation of Paul by my hand, which is a mark in every letter I write this way.

The Salutation of Paul, with my own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

nor to heed myths and endless genealogies, which cause controversies rather than stewardship of God 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 to empty talk,

They want to be teachers of the law, although they do not understand the words they use or the things about which they make such confident assertions.

Now we know [without any doubt] that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully and appropriately,

for whoremongers, for sodomites, for stealers of men, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing which is contrary to sound doctrine,

as measured by the glorious good news of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord which hath made me strong: for he counted me true, and put me in office,

And the grace of our Lord was very great, with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

It is a true saying, in which all may put their faith, that Christ Jesus came into the world to give salvation to sinners, of whom I am the chief:

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

This is the instruction which I entrust to you, my son Timothy, which is in accordance with the prophetic utterances formerly made about you, that you may, aided by them, continue to fight the good fight,

Holding faith and a good conscience, which some, having put away, made shipwreck about the faith,

Of whose number is Hymenaeus, and Alexander, which I have delivered unto Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

which will have all men saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, which is the man Christ Jesus,

Who gave himself as an offering for all; witness of which was to be given at the right time;

and for which purpose I was appointed a preacher and an apostle -- I am telling the truth, I am not lying, -- a teacher of the heathen in the realm of faith and truth.

So I want the men everywhere to offer prayer, lifting to heaven holy hands which are kept unstained by anger and dissensions.

but (which is fitting for women professing godliness) through good works.

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

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.

so that, if I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

and devilish doctrine of them which speak false through hypocrisy, and have their consciences marked with a hot iron,

who forbid people to marry and teach them to abstain from certain sorts of food which God created for the grateful enjoyment of those who have faith and a clear knowledge of the truth.

Because everything which God has made is good, and nothing is evil, if it is taken with praise:

If you continue to put these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, ever feeding your own soul on the truths of the faith and of the fine teaching which you have followed.

For bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but piety is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life, and of that which is coming.

This is a true saying, in which all may put their faith.

For therefore we labour and suffer rebuke, because we believe in the living God, which is the saviour of all men: but specially of those that believe.

Stop neglecting the gift you received, which was given you through prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you.

Honour widows which are true widows.

Those are the points on which you should dwell, that there may be no call for your censure.

and well reported of in good works: if she have nourished children, if she have been liberal to strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have ministered unto them which were in adversity, if she were continually given unto all manner good works.

which has condemnation because they have disregarded the original pledge.

And they get into the way of doing no work, going about from house to house; and not only doing no work, but talking foolishly, being over-interested in the business of others, saying things which they have no right to say.

The elders that rule well are worthy of double honour, most specially they which labour in the word and in teaching.

In the same way, there are good works which are clearly seen; and those which are not so, may not be kept secret.

See that they which have believing masters despise them not because they are brethren: but so much the rather do service, forasmuch as they are believing and beloved and partakers of the benefits. These things teach and exhort.

If any man gives different teaching, not in agreement with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the teaching which is in agreement with true religion,

he is a conceited ignoramus with a morbid appetite for discussions and controversies which lead to envy, quarreling, abuse, base suspicions,

and vain disputations of men with corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, which think that lucre is godliness. From such, separate thyself.

But godliness actually is a source of great gain when accompanied by contentment [that contentment which comes from a sense of inner confidence based on the sufficiency of God].

But men who keep planning to get rich fall into temptations and snares and many foolish, hurtful desires which plunge people into destruction and ruin.

For the love of money is a root of all the evils, of which some aspiring have wandered from the faith, and have 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.