Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

recalling unceasingly before our God and Father your work energized by faith, and your service motivated by love and unwavering hope in [the return of] our Lord Jesus Christ.

knowing, brethren beloved by God, your election.

for our good news [regarding salvation] came to you not only in word, but also in [its inherent] power and in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction [on our part]. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your benefit.

You became imitators of us and [through us] of the Lord, after you welcomed our message in [a time of] great trouble with the joy supplied by the Holy Spirit;

From you, in fact, hath sounded forth the word of the Lord - not only m Macedonia and in Achaia, but, in every place, your faith which is toward God, hath gone forth, so that, no need, have we to be saying anything;

For when others speak of us they report the reception we had from you, and how you turned from your idols to God, to be bondservants of the true and ever-living God,

And to wait for his Son from the heavens, whom be raised from the dead, Jesus, saving us from coming wrath.

For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, about our coming to you -- it has not proven to be purposeless.

On the contrary, after we had previously suffered, and we were treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition.

For our preaching was not grounded on a delusion, nor prompted by mingled motives, nor was there fraud in it.

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.

nor seeking of men glory, neither from you nor from others, being able to be burdensome, as Christ's apostles.

But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.

Because we were yearning for you so tenderly, we were willing, not only to share with you God's good news, but to lay down our very lives too for you, all because you were so dearly loved by us.

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

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

And for this cause we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received the word of the report of God by us, ye accepted, not men's word, but, even as it is truly, God's word, which also works in you who believe.

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:

who have both slain the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and have driven us out by persecution, and do not please God, and are against all men,

Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

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 what shall be our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? Shall not even, ye, before our Lord Jesus, in his Presence?

Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;

a minister of God, and our collegue in preaching the gospel of Christ, that by establishing you in the faith, and by his exhortations,

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

for also, when we were with you, we told you beforehand we are about to be in tribulation, even as also it came to pass, and ye know.)

For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

how can I be sufficiently thankful to God upon your account, for all the joy, which by your means we have been affected with,

We continue to pray night and day most earnestly that we may see you face to face, and may complete whatever may be imperfect and lacking in your faith.

and the Lord cause you to be full and abound with love one to another and to all men, as we also to you,

so that He may strengthen and establish your hearts without blame in holiness in the sight of our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints (God’s people).

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God, that you be sanctified [separated and set apart from sin]: that you abstain and back away from sexual immorality;

that each man among you shall know how to procure a wife who shall be his own in purity and honour;

not [to be used] in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God and are ignorant of His will;

and that in this matter there be no encroaching on the rights of a brother Christian and no overreaching him. For the Lord is an avenger in all such cases, as we have already taught you and solemnly warned you.

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

Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write you, for you have been [personally] taught by God to love one another [that is, to have an unselfish concern for others and to do things for their benefit].

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

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

so that you will behave properly toward outsiders [exhibiting good character, personal integrity, and moral courage worthy of the respect of the outside world], and be dependent on no one and in need of nothing [be self-supporting].

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 have faith that Jesus underwent death and came back again, even so those who are sleeping will come again with him by God's power.

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.

For the Lord Himself, at the summons sounded by the archangel's call and by God's trumpet, will come down from heaven, and first of all the dead in union with Christ will rise,

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.

And so we shall be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you.

for ye know perfectly well yourselves, that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief by night.

for when they may say, Peace and surety, then sudden destruction doth stand by them, as the travail doth her who is with child, and they shall not escape;

But you, believers, [all you who believe in Christ as Savior and acknowledge Him as God’s Son] are not in spiritual darkness [nor held by its power], that the day [of judgment] would overtake you [by surprise] like a thief;

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has died for us, that whether we may be watching or sleep, we may live together with him.

Wherefore be consoling one another, and building up, each the other, - even as ye are also doing.

We entreat you, brethren, to respect those, who labour in the ministry, who by divine appointment preside over you, and instruct you.

And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

See that none, evil for evil, unto any, do render: but, evermore, what is good, be pursuing, towards one another, and towards all:

Rejoice always and delight in your faith;

be unceasing and persistent in prayer;

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.

Let all things be tested; keep to what is good;

Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful and absolutely trustworthy is He who is calling you [to Himself for your salvation], and He will do it [He will fulfill His call by making you holy, guarding you, watching over you, and protecting you as His own].

Brethren! be praying for us also.

Salute all the brothers by a holy kiss.

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.