1 Thessalonians 1-3
New American Standard Bible
Giving Thanks for These Believers
1 (A)Paul, (B)Silvanus, and (C)Timothy,
To the (D)church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: (E)Grace to you and peace.
2 (F)We always give thanks to God for all of you, (G)making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly keeping in mind your (H)work of faith and labor of (I)love and [a](J)perseverance of hope [b]in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of (K)our God and Father, 4 knowing, (L)brothers and sisters, beloved by God, (M)His choice of you; 5 for our (N)gospel did not come to you in word only, but also (O)in power and in the Holy Spirit and with (P)full conviction; just as you know (Q)what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sakes. 6 You also became (R)imitators of us and of the Lord, (S)having received (T)the word during great affliction with the (U)joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in (V)Macedonia and (W)Achaia. 8 For (X)the word of the Lord has (Y)sounded forth from you, not only in (Z)Macedonia and (AA)Achaia, but (AB)in every place the news of your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us [c]as to the kind of (AC)reception we had with you, and how you (AD)turned to God (AE)from [d]idols to serve [e](AF)a living and true God, 10 and to (AG)wait for His Son from [f]heaven, whom He (AH)raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who (AI)rescues us from (AJ)the wrath to come.
Paul’s Ministry
2 For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our [g](AK)reception among you (AL)was not in vain, 2 but after we had already suffered and been (AM)treated abusively in (AN)Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God (AO)to speak to you the (AP)gospel of God [h]amid much [i](AQ)opposition. 3 For our (AR)exhortation does not come from (AS)error or (AT)impurity or [j]by way of (AU)deceit; 4 (AV)but just as we have been approved by God to be (AW)entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, (AX)not intending to please people, but to please God, who [k](AY)examines our hearts. 5 For we never came [l]with flattering speech, as you know, nor with (AZ)a pretext [m]for greed—(BA)God is our witness— 6 nor did we (BB)seek honor from people, either from you or from others, though [n]we could have [o]asserted our authority as (BC)apostles of Christ. 7 But we [p]proved to be [q](BD)gentle [r]among you. (BE)As a nursing mother [s]tenderly cares for her own children, 8 in the same way we had a fond affection for you and were delighted to (BF)share with you not only the (BG)gospel of God, but also our own [t]lives, because you had become [u]very dear to us.
9 For you recall, brothers and sisters, our (BH)labor and hardship: it was by (BI)working night and day so as not to be a (BJ)burden to any of you, that we proclaimed to you the (BK)gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is (BL)God, of (BM)how devoutly and rightly and blamelessly we [v]behaved toward you [w]believers; 11 just as you know how we were (BN)exhorting and encouraging and (BO)imploring each one of you as (BP)a father would his own children, 12 so that you would (BQ)walk in a manner worthy of the God who (BR)calls you into His own kingdom and (BS)glory.
13 For this reason we also constantly (BT)thank God that when you received the (BU)word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it (BV)not as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, (BW)which also is at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became (BX)imitators of (BY)the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are (BZ)in Judea, for (CA)you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, (CB)even as they did from the Jews, 15 (CC)who both killed the Lord Jesus and (CD)the prophets, and [x]drove us out. [y]They are not pleasing to God, [z]but hostile to all people, 16 (CE)hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles (CF)so that they may be saved; with the result that they always [aa](CG)reach the limit of their sins. But (CH)wrath has come upon them [ab]fully.
17 But we, brothers and sisters, having been orphaned from you by absence for a [ac]short while—(CI)in [ad]person, not in [ae]spirit—were all the more eager with great desire (CJ)to see your face. 18 [af]For (CK)we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, [ag](CL)more than once—and (CM)Satan (CN)hindered us. 19 For who is our hope, or (CO)joy or crown of pride, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His [ah](CP)coming? Or is it not indeed you? 20 For you are (CQ)our glory and joy.
Encouragement of Timothy’s Visit
3 Therefore, (CR)when we could no longer endure it, we thought it best to be left behind, alone at (CS)Athens, 2 and we sent (CT)Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the benefit of your faith, 3 so that no one would be [ai]disturbed by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that (CU)we have been destined for this. 4 For even when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; [aj](CV)and so it happened, [ak]as you know. 5 For this reason, (CW)when I could no longer endure it, I also (CX)sent to [al]find out about your faith, for fear that (CY)the tempter might have tempted you, and (CZ)our labor would be for nothing.
6 But now that (DA)Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of (DB)your faith and love, and that you always (DC)think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, 7 for this reason, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; 8 for now we really live, if you (DD)stand firm in the Lord. 9 For (DE)what thanks can we give to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice because of you before our God, 10 as we (DF)keep praying most earnestly night and day that we may (DG)see your faces, and may (DH)complete what is lacking in your faith?
11 (DI)Now may (DJ)our God and Father (DK)Himself, and our Lord Jesus, (DL)direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and (DM)overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may (DN)establish your hearts (DO)blameless in holiness before (DP)our God and Father at the [am](DQ)coming of our Lord Jesus (DR)with all His [an]saints.
1 Thessalonians 1-3
King James Version
1 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.
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.
7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
2 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
4 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.
5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
9 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.
10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
16 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.
17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
20 For ye are our glory and joy.
3 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
5 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.
6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:
7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:
8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.
12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
