Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Greeting

1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace.

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonian Believers

² We give thanks to God always concerning all of you, making mention constantly in our prayers, ³ because we^[a] remember your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, ⁴ knowing, brothers dearly loved by God, that he has chosen you^[b], ⁵ because our gospel did not come to you with word only, but also with power and with the Holy Spirit and with much certainty, just as you know what sort of people we became among you for your sake. ⁶ And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷ so that you became an example to all those who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia, ⁸ for from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia,^[c] but in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything. ⁹ For they themselves report about us, what sort of welcome we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰ and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, the one who delivers us from the coming wrath.

Paul’s Approach to Ministry in Thessalonica

2 For you yourselves know, brothers, our reception with you, that it was not in vain, ² but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, just as you know, we had the courage in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. ³ For our exhortation is not from error or from impurity or with deceit, ⁴ but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, thus we speak, not as pleasing people but God, who examines our hearts. ⁵ For never^[d] did we come with a word of flattery, just as you know, nor with a pretext of greediness (God is witness), ⁶ nor seeking glory from people, neither from you nor from others. ⁷ Although we could have insisted on our own importance^[e][f] as apostles of Christ, yet we became infants in your midst, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children. ⁸ Longing for you in this way, we determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own souls, because you had become dear to us.

⁹ For you remember, brothers, our labor and hardship: working by night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we became to you who believe, ¹¹ just as you know how we treated each one of you, like a father his own children, ¹² exhorting and consoling you and insisting that you live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory.

The Thessalonians’ Response to Paul’s Message

¹³ And because of this we also give thanks to God constantly, that when you^[g] received God’s word that you heard^[h] from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same things at the hands of your own people, just as they themselves did also at the hands of the Jews, ¹⁵ who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who persecuted us, and who are not pleasing to God and are opposed to all people, ¹⁶ hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved, so that they always fill up their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the end.^[i]

Paul’s Desire to Revisit the Thessalonians

¹⁷ But when^[j] we were made orphans by separation from you, brothers, for a short time^[k] (in face, not in heart), we were even more eager with great desire to see your face, ¹⁸ because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, on more than one occasion^[l]—and Satan hindered us. ¹⁹ For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? ²⁰ For you are our glory and joy.

Paul Sends Timothy to Thessalonica

3 Therefore when we^[m] could bear it no longer, we determined to be left behind in Athens alone, ² and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, in order to strengthen and to encourage you about your faith, ³ so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed for this, ⁴ for indeed when we were with you we told you beforehand that we were about to be afflicted, just as indeed it happened, and you know. ⁵ Because of this, I also, when I^[n] could endure it no longer, sent in order to know your faith, lest somehow the tempter tempted you and our labor should be in vain.

Timothy’s Positive Report

⁶ But now, because^[o] Timothy has come to us from you and has brought good news to us of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us^[p], desiring to see us just as also we desire to see you, ⁷ because of this, brothers, we have been comforted because of you in all our distress and affliction through your faith, ⁸ because now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord. ⁹ For what thanks can we repay to God concerning you, because of all the joy with which we rejoice because of you before our God, ¹⁰ night and day praying beyond all measure that we may see your face and complete what is lacking in your faith?

¹¹ Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you, ¹² and may the Lord cause you to increase and to abound in love for one another and for all, just as also we do for you, ¹³ so that your hearts may be established blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.^[q]