Thanksgiving for These Believers

1 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].

² We give thanks to God always for all of you, continually mentioning you in our prayers; ³ 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) 4 [a]}Brothers and sisters beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you; ⁵ 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. ⁶ 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; ⁷ so that you became an example to all the believers in ^[b]Macedonia and in Achaia. ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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].