Giving Thanks for Faith and Perseverance

(A)Paul, (B)Silvanus, and (C)Timothy,

To the (D)church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: (E)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ought always (F)to give thanks to God for you, (G)brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the (H)love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater. As a result, we ourselves (I)speak proudly of you among (J)the churches of God for your [a]perseverance and faith [b](K)in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is [c]a (L)plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be (M)considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you indeed are suffering. [d]For after all (N)it is only right [e]for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, [f](O)when the Lord Jesus will be revealed (P)from heaven (Q)with [g]His mighty angels (R)in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who (S)do not know God, and to those who (T)do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These people will pay the penalty of (U)eternal destruction, (V)away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be (W)glorified among His [h]saints on that (X)day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—because our (Y)testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end also we (Z)pray for you always, that our God will (AA)consider you worthy of your (AB)calling, and fulfill every desire for (AC)goodness and the (AD)work of faith with power, 12 so that the (AE)name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:4 Or steadfastness
  2. 2 Thessalonians 1:4 Or during all
  3. 2 Thessalonians 1:5 Or proof of
  4. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 Lit If indeed
  5. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 Or in the sight of
  6. 2 Thessalonians 1:7 Lit at the revelation of the Lord Jesus
  7. 2 Thessalonians 1:7 Lit the angels of His power
  8. 2 Thessalonians 1:10 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people

Salutation

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

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

Thanksgiving

We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.(A) Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.(B)

The Judgment at Christ’s Coming

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God and is intended to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering.(C) For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels(D) in a fiery flame, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(E) These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,(F) 10 when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at on that day among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.(G)

Footnotes

  1. 1.2 Other ancient authorities read our

Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you towards each other, aboundeth:

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

For an example of the just judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which also you suffer.

Seeing it is a just thing with God to repay 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 the angels of his power:

In a flame of fire, giving vengeance to them who know not God, and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who shall suffer eternal punishment in destruction, from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his power:

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be made wonderful in all them who have believed; because our testimony was believed upon you in that day.

11 Wherefore also we pray always for you; that our God would make you worthy of his vocation, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith in power;

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