Encouragement of Timothy’s Visit

3 Therefore, when we could no longer endure our separation [from you], we thought it best to be left behind, alone at Athens, ² and so we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in [spreading] the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you [exhorting, comforting, and establishing you] in regard to your faith, ³ 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]. ⁴ For even when we were with you, we warned you plainly in advance that we were going to experience persecution; and so, as you know, it has come to pass. ⁵ For this reason, when I could no longer endure the suspense, I sent someone to find out about your faith [how you were holding up under pressure], for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our work [among you] would prove to be ineffective.

⁶ But now that Timothy has come back to us from [his visit with] you, and has brought us good news of your [steadfast] faith and [the warmth of your] love, and [reported] that you always think kindly of us and treasure your memories of us, longing to see us just as we long to see you, ⁷ for this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and suffering we have been comforted and greatly encouraged about you because of your faith [your unwavering trust in God—placing yourselves completely in His loving hands]; ⁸ because now we really live [in spite of everything], if you stand firm in the Lord. ⁹ For what [adequate] thanks can we offer to God for you in return for all the joy and delight we have before our God on your account? ¹⁰ 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.

¹¹ Now may our God and Father Himself, and Jesus our Lord guide our steps to you [by removing the obstacles that stand in our way]. ¹² And may the Lord cause you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; ¹³ 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 ^[a]saints (God’s people).

Sanctification and Love

4 Finally, believers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to walk and please God (just as you are actually doing) and that you excel even more and more [pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation]. ² For you know what commandments and precepts we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. ³ 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; ⁴ that each of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor [being available for God’s purpose and separated from things profane], ⁵ not [to be used] in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God and are ignorant of His will; ⁶ and that [in this matter of sexual misconduct] no man shall transgress and defraud his brother because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we have told you before and solemnly warned you. ⁷ For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness [to be dedicated, and set apart by behavior that pleases Him, whether in public or in private]. ⁸ So whoever rejects and disregards this is not [merely] rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you [to dwell in you and empower you to overcome temptation].

⁹ 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].^{(A) 10} For indeed you already do practice it toward all the ^[b]believers throughout Macedonia [by actively displaying your love and concern for them]. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, that you excel [in this matter] more and more, ¹¹ and to make it your ambition to live quietly and peacefully, and to mind your own affairs and work with your hands, just as we directed you, ¹² 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].

Those Who Died in Christ

¹³ Now we do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who are asleep [in death], so that you will not grieve [for them] as the others do who have no hope [beyond this present life]. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again [as in fact He did], even so God [in this same way—by raising them from the dead] will bring with Him those [believers] who have fallen asleep in Jesus. ¹⁵ For we say this to you by the Lord’s [own] word, that we who are still alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede [into His presence] those [believers] who have fallen asleep [in death]. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the ^[c]archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!^{(B) 18} Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words [concerning our reunion with believers who have died].

The Day of the Lord

5 Now as to the ^[d]times and dates, ^[e]brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the [return of the] Lord is coming just as a thief [comes unexpectedly and suddenly] in the night. ³ While they are saying, “Peace and safety [all is well and secure!]” then [in a moment unforeseen] destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains on a woman with child, and they will absolutely not escape [for there will be no way to escape the judgment of the Lord]. ⁴ But you, ^[f]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; ⁵ for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We do not belong to the night nor to darkness. ⁶ So then let us not sleep [in spiritual indifference] as the rest [of the world does], but let us keep wide awake [alert and cautious] and let us be sober [self-controlled, calm, and wise]. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we [believers] belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope and confident assurance of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us to [incur His] wrath [that is, He did not select us to condemn us], but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died [willingly] for us, so that whether we are awake (alive) or asleep (dead) [at Christ’s appearing], we will live together with Him [sharing eternal life]. ¹¹ Therefore encourage and comfort one another and build up one another, just as you are doing.

Christian Conduct

¹² Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to appreciate those who diligently work among you [recognize, acknowledge, and respect your leaders], who are in charge over you in the Lord and who give you instruction, ¹³ and [we ask that you appreciate them and] hold them in the highest esteem in love because of their work [on your behalf]. Live in peace with one another. ¹⁴ We [earnestly] urge you, believers, admonish those who are out of line [the undisciplined, the unruly, the disorderly], encourage the timid [who lack spiritual courage], help the [spiritually] weak, be very patient with everyone [always controlling your temper].^{(C) 15} See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek that which is good for one another and for all people. ¹⁶ Rejoice always and delight in your faith; ¹⁷ be unceasing and persistent in prayer; ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit. ²⁰ Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning]. ²¹ But test ^[g]all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].

²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ 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].

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us.

²⁶ Greet all the believers with a holy ^[h]kiss [as brothers and sisters in God’s family]. ²⁷ I solemnly charge you by the Lord to have this letter read before all the ^[i]congregation.

²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Thanksgiving for Faith and Perseverance

1 Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: ² Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ We ought always and indeed are morally obligated [as those in debt] to give thanks to God for you, ^[j]brothers and sisters, as is fitting, because your faith is growing ever greater, and the [unselfish] ^[k]love of each one of you toward one another is continually increasing. ⁴ Therefore, we speak of you with pride among the churches of God for your steadfastness [your unflinching endurance, and patience] and your firm faith in the midst of all the persecution and [crushing] distress which you endure. ⁵ 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. ⁶ For after all it is only just for God to repay with distress those who distress you, ⁷ and to give relief to you who are so distressed and to us as well when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in a flame of fire, ⁸ dealing out [full and complete] vengeance to those who do not [seek to] know God and to those who ignore and refuse to obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus [by choosing not to respond to Him]. ⁹ These people will pay the penalty and endure the punishment of ^[l]everlasting destruction, banished from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ¹⁰ when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day [that is, glorified through the changed lives of those who have accepted Him as Savior and have been set apart for His purpose], and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed and trusted [and confirmed in your lives]. ¹¹ With this in view, we constantly pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of your calling [to faith] and with [His] power fulfill every desire for goodness, and complete [your] every work of faith, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you [by what you do], and you in Him, according to the [precious] grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Man of Lawlessness

2 Now in regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our ^[m]gathering together to meet Him, we ask you, ^[n]brothers and sisters,^{(D) 2} not to be quickly unsettled or alarmed either by a [so-called prophetic revelation of a] spirit or a message or a letter [alleged to be] from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has [already] come. ³ Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the ^[o]apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed],^{(E) 4} who opposes and exalts himself [so proudly and so insolently] above ^[p]every so-called god or object of worship, so that he [actually enters and] takes his seat in the temple of God, publicly proclaiming that he himself is God.^{(F) 5} Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I was telling you these things? ⁶ And you know what restrains him now [from being revealed]; it is so that he will be revealed at his own [appointed] time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness [rebellion against divine authority and the coming reign of lawlessness] is already at work; [but it is restrained] only until he who now restrains it is taken out of the way. ⁸ Then the lawless one [the Antichrist] will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by the appearance of His coming.^{(G) 9} The coming of the [Antichrist, the lawless] one is through the activity of Satan, [attended] with great power [all kinds of counterfeit miracles] and [deceptive] signs and false wonders [all of them lies], ¹⁰ 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]. ¹¹ Because of this God will send upon them a misleading influence, [an activity of error and deception] so they will believe the lie, ¹² in order that all may be judged and condemned who did not believe the truth [about their sin, and the need for salvation through Christ], but instead took pleasure in unrighteousness.

¹³ But we should and are [morally] obligated [as debtors] always to give thanks to God for you, believers beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through the ^[q]sanctifying work of the Spirit [that sets you apart for God’s purpose] and by your faith in the truth [of God’s word that leads you to spiritual maturity]. ¹⁴ It was to this end that He called you through our gospel [the good news of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection], so that you may obtain and share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ So then, ^[r]brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold [tightly] to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting comfort and encouragement and the good [well-founded] hope [of salvation] by His grace, ¹⁷ comfort and encourage and strengthen your hearts [keeping them steadfast and on course] in every good work and word.

Exhortation

3 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray continually for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be honored [triumphantly celebrated and glorified], just as it was with you; ² and [pray] that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not everyone has the faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you [setting you on a firm foundation] and will protect and guard you from the evil one. ⁴ We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do the things [which] we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness and patience of Christ.

⁶ Now we command you, believers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by His authority, that you withdraw and keep away from every brother or sister who leads an undisciplined life and does not live in accordance with the tradition and teaching that ^[s]you have received from us. ⁷ For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined or inappropriate manner when we were with you [we were never idle or lazy, nor did we avoid our duties], ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we worked night and day [to pay our own way] so that we would not be a financial burden on any of you [for our support]; ⁹ not because we do not have a right to such support, but [we provided our own financial support] to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. ¹⁰ For even while we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is ^[t]not to eat, either. ¹¹ Indeed, we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined and inappropriate life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies [meddling in other people’s business]. ¹² Now such people we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work quietly and earn their own food and other necessities [supporting themselves instead of depending on the hospitality of others]. ¹³ And as for [the rest of] you, ^[u]believers, do not grow tired or lose heart in doing good [but continue doing what is right without weakening].

¹⁴ Now if anyone [in the church] does not obey what we say in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be ashamed and repent. ¹⁵ Do not regard him as an enemy, but keep admonishing him as a [believing] brother.

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace at all times and in every way [that peace and spiritual well-being that comes to those who walk with Him, regardless of life’s circumstances]. The Lord be with you all.^(H)

¹⁷ I, Paul, write you this final greeting with my own hand. This is the distinguishing mark in every letter [of mine, that shows it is genuine]. It is the way I write [my handwriting and signature]. ¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.