⁶ You became imitators of us^(A) and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering^(B) with the joy^(C) given by the Holy Spirit.^(D)

¹⁴ For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators^(A) of God’s churches in Judea,^(B) which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people^(C) the same things those churches suffered from the Jews

⁴ In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.^(A)

In Thessalonica

17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,^(A) where there was a Jewish synagogue. ² As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,^(B) and on three Sabbath^(C) days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,^{(D) 3} explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer^(E) and rise from the dead.^(F) “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,”^(G) he said. ⁴ Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,^(H) as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

⁵ But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.^(I) They rushed to Jason’s^(J) house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.^{[a] 6} But when they did not find them, they dragged^(K) Jason and some other believers^(L) before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world^(M) have now come here,^{(N) 7} and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”^{(O) 8} When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. ⁹ Then they made Jason^(P) and the others post bond and let them go.