1 Thessalonians 3:1-4:12

English Standard Version

3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing ^(A)to be left behind at Athens alone, ² and we ^(B)sent Timothy, ^(C)our brother and God's coworker^[a] in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, ³ that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that ^(D)we are destined for this. ⁴ For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, ^(E)just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. ⁵ For this reason, ^(F)when I could bear it no longer, ^(G)I sent to learn about your faith, ^(H)for fear that somehow ^(I)the tempter had tempted you and ^(J)our labor would be in vain.

Timothy's Encouraging Report

⁶ But ^(K)now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of ^(L)your faith and love and reported ^(M)that you always remember us kindly and ^(N)long to see us, as we long to see you— ⁷ for this reason, brothers,^[b] in all our distress and affliction ^(O)we have been comforted about you through your faith. ⁸ For now we live, if you ^(P)are standing fast in the Lord. ⁹ For ^(Q)what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, ¹⁰ as we pray most earnestly ^(R)night and day ^(S)that we may see you face to face and ^(T)supply what is lacking in your faith?

¹¹ Now may ^(U)our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, ^(V)direct our way to you, ¹² and may the Lord ^(W)make you increase and abound in love ^(X)for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³ so that he may ^(Y)establish your hearts blameless in holiness before ^(Z)our God and Father, at ^(AA)the coming of our Lord Jesus ^(AB)with all his saints.

A Life Pleasing to God

4 Finally, then, brothers,^[c] we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you ^(AC)received from us ^(AD)how you ought to walk and ^(AE)to please God, just as you are doing, that you ^(AF)do so more and more. ² For ^(AG)you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, ^(AH)your sanctification:^{[d] (AI)}that you abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each one of you know how to control his own ^(AJ)body^[e] in holiness and ^(AK)honor, ⁵ not in ^(AL)the passion of lust ^(AM)like the Gentiles ^(AN)who do not know God; ⁶ that no one transgress and ^(AO)wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is ^(AP)an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. ⁷ For ^(AQ)God has not called us for ^(AR)impurity, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore ^(AS)whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, ^(AT)who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

⁹ Now concerning ^(AU)brotherly love ^(AV)you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been ^(AW)taught by God ^(AX)to love one another, ¹⁰ for that indeed is what ^(AY)you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to ^(AZ)do this more and more, ¹¹ and to aspire ^(BA)to live quietly, and ^(BB)to mind your own affairs, and ^(BC)to work with your hands, as we instructed you, ¹² so that you may ^(BD)walk properly before ^(BE)outsiders and be dependent on no one.