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We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
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For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,
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You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.
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so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.
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You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
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And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
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For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?
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We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
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Timothy’s Encouraging Report
But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.
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Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
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May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
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It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
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that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
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Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
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And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,
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But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
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Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
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Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
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give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
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but test them all; hold on to what is good,
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The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
