Paul, Silas[a](A) and Timothy,(B)

To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image(A) of the invisible God,(B) the firstborn(C) over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created:(D) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;(E) all things have been created through him and for him.(F) 17 He is before all things,(G) and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head(H) of the body, the church;(I) he is the beginning and the firstborn(J) from among the dead,(K) so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

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Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,(A) like the roar of rushing waters(B) and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!(C)
    For our Lord God Almighty(D) reigns.(E)
Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him glory!(F)
For the wedding of the Lamb(G) has come,
    and his bride(H) has made herself ready.
Fine linen,(I) bright and clean,
    was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts(J) of God’s holy people.)

Then the angel said to me,(K) “Write this:(L) Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”(M) And he added, “These are the true words of God.”(N)

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The Living Stone and a Chosen People

As you come to him, the living Stone(A)—rejected by humans but chosen by God(B) and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built(C) into a spiritual house[a](D) to be a holy priesthood,(E) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(F) For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,(G)
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”[b](H)

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,(I)

“The stone the builders rejected(J)
    has become the cornerstone,”[c](K)

and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”[d](L)

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
  3. 1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
  4. 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14

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