Paul, Silvanus and Timothy. Unto the congregation of the Thessalonians, which are 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 ourselves make our boast in you in the assemblies of God for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations, which ye are sustaining;

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.

since [it is] righteous in the sight of God to pay back those who are afflicting you with affliction,

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

For this reason, you are ever in our prayers, that you may seem to our God such as may have a part in his purpose and that by his power he will make all his good purpose, and the work of faith, complete;

and by unlimited seduction to evil and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are perishing, because they did not welcome the love of the truth [of the gospel] so as to be saved [they were spiritually blind, and rejected the truth that would have saved them].

so that they all should be condemned, who are faithless to the truth, but take pleasure in evil.

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:

We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do the things [which] we command.

For you yourselves are used to taking us as your example, because our life among you was ruled by order,

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

Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

You are not to treat him as an enemy, but to put him under discipline, as a brother.

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.