Greeting

Paul, (A)Silvanus, and Timothy,

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

Grace to you and peace [a]from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their Good Example

(C)We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing (D)your work of faith, (E)labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, (F)your election by God. For (G)our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, (H)and in the Holy Spirit (I)and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

And (J)you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, (K)with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you the word of the Lord (L)has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also (M)in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us (N)what manner of entry we had to you, (O)and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and (P)to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us (Q)from the wrath to come.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 NU omits from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

Thanksgiving for These Believers

Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy,

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

We give thanks to God always for all of you, continually mentioning you in our prayers; recalling unceasingly before our God and Father your work energized by faith, and your service motivated by love and unwavering hope in [the return of] our Lord Jesus Christ.(A) [a]Brothers and sisters beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you; for our good news [regarding salvation] came to you not only in word, but also in [its inherent] power and in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction [on our part]. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your benefit. You became imitators of us and [through us] of the Lord, after you welcomed our message in [a time of] great trouble with the joy supplied by the Holy Spirit; so that you became an example to all the believers in [b]Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has resounded from you and has echoed [like thunder], not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place [the news of] your [great] faith in God has spread, so that we never need to say anything about it. For they themselves report about us, telling what kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to [look forward and confidently] wait for [the coming of] His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who [personally] rescues us from the coming wrath [and draws us to Himself, granting us all the privileges and rewards of a new life with Him].

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:4 Lit Brethren.
  2. 1 Thessalonians 1:7 Greece was divided into two Roman provinces. The northern region was called Macedonia and the southern, Achaia. Thessalonica was an important seaport and was the capital city of Macedonia.

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

The First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians

1 He therefore beginneth with thanksgiving, 4 to put them in mind that whatsoever was praiseworthy in them, it came of God’s goodness: 7 and that they are ensamples unto others.

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

[a]We give God thanks always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.

[b]Without ceasing, remembering your effectual faith, and diligent love, and the patience of your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God, even our Father,

Knowing, beloved brethren, that ye are [c]elect of God.

[d]For our Gospel was not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the holy Ghost, and in [e]much assurance, as ye know after what manner we were among you for your sakes.

[f]And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, and received the word in much affliction, with [g]joy of the holy Ghost,

So that ye were as ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.

For from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not in Macedonia and in Achaia only: but your faith also which is toward God, spread abroad in all quarters, that we need not to speak anything.

For [h]they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, [i]and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God.

10 And to look for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus which delivereth us from [j]that wrath to come.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:2 An example of a right Christian rejoicing:whereby also we learn, that such as have great gifts in them are in two sorts bridled, to wit, if they consider that they have received all from God, and that continuance must be desired at his hands, whereunto also the whole Epistle exhorteth the Thessalonians.
  2. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 He commendeth them for three special gifts, effectual faith, continual love, and patient hope: to the end they might be ashamed being endued with such excellent gifts, not to continue in God’s election.
  3. 1 Thessalonians 1:4 Word for word, that your election is of God.
  4. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 Another reason why they ought in no wise start back but continue to the end, because they cannot doubt of his doctrine which hath been so many ways confirmed unto them, even from heaven as they themselves did well know.
  5. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 Paul showeth by two things, that there followed very great fruits of his preaching, to wit, by these gifts of the holy Ghost, and that certain assurance which was thoroughly settled in their minds, as appeared by their willing bearing of the cross.
  6. 1 Thessalonians 1:6 Another reason: Because even to that day, they embraced the Gospel with great cheerfulness, insomuch that they were an example to all their neighbors: so that it should be more shame for them to faint in the mid-race.
  7. 1 Thessalonians 1:6 With joy which cometh from the holy Ghost.
  8. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 All the believers.
  9. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 It is no true conversion to forsake idols, unless a man therewithall worship the true and living God in Christ the only redeemer.
  10. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 This word (That) is not put here without cause: and by (wrath) is meant that revenge and punishment, wherewith the Lord will judge the world at length in his terrible wrath.

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, to the assembly of Thessalonians in God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,

unceasingly remembering of you the work of the faith, and the labour of the love, and the endurance of the hope, of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the presence of our God and Father,

having known, brethren beloved, by God, your election,

because our good news did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, even as ye have known of what sort we became among you because of you,

and ye -- ye did become imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

so that ye became patterns to all those believing in Macedonia and Achaia,

for from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God did go forth, so that we have no need to say anything,

for they themselves concerning us do declare what entrance we had unto you, and how ye did turn unto God from the idols, to serve a living and true God,

10 and to wait for His Son from the heavens, whom He did raise out of the dead -- Jesus, who is rescuing us from the anger that is coming.