Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1-2 I, Paul, together with Silas and Timothy, greet the church of the Thessalonian Christians in the name of God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ. Our God gives you everything you need, makes you everything you’re to be.

Justice Is on the Way

3-4 You need to know, friends, that thanking God over and over for you is not only a pleasure; it’s a must. We have to do it. Your faith is growing phenomenally; your love for each other is developing wonderfully. Why, it’s only right that we give thanks. We’re so proud of you; you’re so steady and determined in your faith despite all the hard times that have broadsided you. We tell everyone we meet in the churches all about you.

5-10 All this trouble is a clear sign that God has decided to make you fit for the kingdom. You’re suffering now, but justice is on the way. When the Master Jesus appears out of heaven in a blaze of fire with his strong angels, he’ll even up the score by settling accounts with those who gave you such a bad time. His coming will be the break we’ve been waiting for. Those who refuse to know God and refuse to obey the Message will pay for what they’ve done. Eternal exile from the presence of the Master and his splendid power is their sentence. But on that very same day when he comes, he will be exalted by his followers and celebrated by all who believe—and all because you believed what we told you.

11-12 Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time—pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely.

Pablo, Silvano y Timoteo,

a la iglesia de los tesalonicenses, unida a Dios nuestro Padre y al Señor Jesucristo:

Gracia y paz a ustedes, de Dios el Padre y el Señor Jesucristo.

Acción de gracias y oración

Hermanos, siempre debemos dar gracias a Dios por ustedes, como es justo, porque su fe se acrecienta cada vez más y en cada uno de ustedes sigue abundando el amor hacia los otros. Así que nos sentimos orgullosos de ustedes ante las iglesias de Dios por la perseverancia y la fe que muestran al soportar toda clase de persecuciones y sufrimientos. Todo esto prueba que el juicio de Dios es justo y, por tanto, él los considera dignos de su reino, por el cual están sufriendo.

Dios, que es justo, pagará con sufrimiento a quienes los hacen sufrir a ustedes. Y a ustedes que sufren, les dará descanso, lo mismo que a nosotros. Esto sucederá cuando el Señor Jesús se manifieste desde el cielo entre llamas de fuego, con sus poderosos ángeles, para castigar a los que no conocen a Dios ni obedecen el evangelio de nuestro Señor Jesús. Ellos sufrirán el castigo de la destrucción eterna, lejos de la presencia del Señor y de su glorioso poder, 10 el día en que venga para ser glorificado por su pueblo santo y admirado por todos los que hayan creído, entre los cuales están ustedes porque creyeron el testimonio que dimos.

11 Por eso oramos constantemente por ustedes, para que nuestro Dios los considere dignos del llamamiento que les ha hecho, y por su poder cumpla todo propósito de bien y toda obra que realicen por la fe. 12 Oramos así, de modo que el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesús sea glorificado por medio de ustedes, y ustedes por él, conforme a la gracia de nuestro Dios y del Señor Jesucristo.[a]

Footnotes

  1. 1:12 Dios y del Señor Jesucristo. Alt. Dios y Señor, Jesucristo.