Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Salutation

1 Paul, Silas, and Timothy,

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

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

The Thessalonians’ Faith and Example

² We give thanks to God always for you all, mentioning you in our prayers, ³ remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patient hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father.

⁴ For we know, beloved brothers, your election by God. ⁵ For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, just as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. ⁶ You became followers of us and the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit. ⁷ Therefore you were examples to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸ For the word of the Lord sounded out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith in God has gone forth, so that we do not need to say anything. ⁹ For they themselves declare how we were received by you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰ and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.

Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

2 You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain. ² But even after we had previously suffered and were shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to declare to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. ³ For our exhortation was not from deceit, nor from uncleanness, nor in guile. ⁴ But as we were allowed by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not to please men, but God, who examines our hearts. ⁵ For neither at any time did we come with flattering words, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed. God is our witness. ⁶ Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you, or from others, even though we might have made demands as the apostles of Christ.

⁷ But we were gentle among you, like a nurse caring for her own children. ⁸ So having great love toward you, we were willing to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you were dear to us. ⁹ For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil. Laboring night and day so as not to be an expense to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰ You and God are witnesses of how pure, upright, and blameless we ourselves behaved among you who believe. ¹¹ As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and commanded every one of you, as a father does his own children, ¹² that you would walk in a manner worthy of God, who has called you to His kingdom and glory.

¹³ For this reason we thank God without ceasing because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which effectively works also in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brothers, became followers of the churches of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. You also have suffered the same things from your own countrymen, as they have from the Jews, ¹⁵ who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us. They do not please God and are contrary to all men, ¹⁶ forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved. In this way they are always piling up their sins, but wrath has come upon them to the extreme.

Paul’s Desire to Visit Again

¹⁷ But we, brothers, being taken from you for a short time, in presence, not in heart, endeavored all the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. ¹⁸ Therefore we wished to come to you—even I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us. ¹⁹ For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Will it not even be you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? ²⁰ You are our glory and joy.

3 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone. ² We sent Timothy, who is our brother and minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish and comfort you with regard to your faith, ³ so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this. ⁴ Indeed, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it came to pass, as you well know. ⁵ For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to inquire about your faith, lest by some means the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor might have been in vain.

⁶ But just now Timothy has come from you to us and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good memories of us, desiring greatly to see us, as we also desire to see you. ⁷ Therefore, brothers, during all our afflictions and distress, we have been encouraged about you through your faith. ⁸ For now we live, if you stand strong in the Lord. ⁹ For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God, ¹⁰ night and day praying earnestly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

¹¹ Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. ¹² And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all men, even as we do for you. ¹³ To this end may He establish your hearts to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.