1 Thessalonians 5 - 2 Thessalonians 1

Common English Bible

The Lord’s coming

5 We don’t need to write to you about the timing and dates, brothers and sisters. ² You know very well that the day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. ³ When they are saying, “There is peace and security,” at that time sudden destruction will attack them, like labor pains start with a pregnant woman, and they definitely won’t escape. ⁴ But you aren’t in darkness, brothers and sisters, so the day won’t catch you by surprise like a thief. ⁵ All of you are children of light and children of the day. We don’t belong to night or darkness. ⁶ So then, let’s not sleep like the others, but let’s stay awake and stay sober. ⁷ People who sleep sleep at night, and people who get drunk get drunk at night. ⁸ Since we belong to the day, let’s stay sober, wearing faithfulness and love as a piece of armor that protects our body^[a] and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹ God didn’t intend for us to suffer his wrath but rather to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ Jesus died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with him. ¹¹ So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already.

Final instructions and blessing

¹² Brothers and sisters, we ask you to respect those who are working with you, leading you, and instructing you. ¹³ Think of them highly with love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. ¹⁴ Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are disorderly. Comfort the discouraged. Help the weak. Be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure no one repays a wrong with a wrong, but always pursue the good for each other and everyone else. ¹⁶ Rejoice always. ¹⁷ Pray continually. ¹⁸ Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Don’t suppress the Spirit. ²⁰ Don’t brush off Spirit-inspired messages, ²¹ but examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good. ²² Avoid every kind of evil. ²³ Now, may the God of peace himself cause you to be completely dedicated to him; and may your spirit, soul, and body be kept intact and blameless at our Lord Jesus Christ’s coming. ²⁴ The one who is calling you is faithful and will do this.

Final greeting

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us. ²⁶ Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. ²⁷ By the Lord’s authority, I order all of you to have this letter read aloud to all the brothers and sisters. ²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Greeting

1 From Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy:

To the church of the Thessalonians, which is in God our Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

² Grace and peace to all of you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and encouragement

³ Brothers and sisters, we must always thank God for you. This is only right because your faithfulness is growing by leaps and bounds, and the love that all of you have for each other is increasing. ⁴ That’s why we ourselves are bragging about you in God’s churches. We tell about your endurance and faithfulness in all the harassments and trouble that you have put up with. ⁵ This shows that God’s judgment is right, and that you will be considered worthy of God’s kingdom for which you are suffering. ⁶ After all, it’s right for God to pay back the ones making trouble for you with trouble ⁷ and to pay back you who are having trouble with relief along with us. This payback will come when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his powerful angels. ⁸ He will give justice with blazing fire to those who don’t recognize God and don’t obey the good news of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the Lord’s presence and away from his mighty glory. ¹⁰ This will happen when he comes on that day to receive honor from his holy people and to be admired by everyone who has believed—and our testimony to you was believed.

¹¹ We are constantly praying for you for this: that our God will make you worthy of his calling and accomplish every good desire and faithful work by his power. ¹² Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored by you, and you will be honored by him, consistent with the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.