²⁰ And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁷ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.

Encouragement during Persecution

³ Dear brothers and sisters,^[a] we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

⁴ Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

Psalm 34^[a]

A psalm of David, regarding the time he pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, who sent him away.

Believers Should Stand Firm

¹³ As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first^[a] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.

¹³ You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴ Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!