Final Instructions

¹² Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard^(A) among you, who care for you in the Lord^(B) and who admonish you. ¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.^{(C) 14} And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle^(D) and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak,^(E) be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,^(F) but always strive to do what is good for each other^(G) and for everyone else.

¹⁶ Rejoice always,^{(H) 17} pray continually,^{(I) 18} give thanks in all circumstances;^(J) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit.^{(K) 20} Do not treat prophecies^(L) with contempt ²¹ but test them all;^(M) hold on to what is good,^{(N) 22} reject every kind of evil.

²³ May God himself, the God of peace,^(O) sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul^(P) and body be kept blameless^(Q) at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(R) 24} The one who calls^(S) you is faithful,^(T) and he will do it.^(U)

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us.^{(V) 26} Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.^{(W) 27} I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.^(X)

²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.^(Y)

1 Paul, Silas^[a](Z) and Timothy,^(AA)

To the church of the Thessalonians^(AB) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

² Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(AC)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We ought always to thank God for you,^(AD) brothers and sisters,^[b] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.^{(AE) 4} Therefore, among God’s churches we boast^(AF) about your perseverance and faith^(AG) in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.^(AH)

⁵ All this is evidence^(AI) that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy^(AJ) of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. ⁶ God is just:^(AK) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you^{(AL) 7} and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven^(AM) in blazing fire^(AN) with his powerful angels.^{(AO) 8} He will punish^(AP) those who do not know God^(AQ) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.^{(AR) 9} They will be punished with everlasting destruction^(AS) and shut out from the presence of the Lord^(AT) and from the glory of his might^{(AU) 10} on the day^(AV) he comes to be glorified^(AW) in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.^(AX)

¹¹ With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,^(AY) that our God may make you worthy^(AZ) of his calling,^(BA) and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness^(BB) and your every deed prompted by faith.^{(BC) 12} We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,^(BD) and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.^[c]