Greeting
1From Paul, Silas, and Timothy. To the church at Thessalonica united with Theos the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Good will (Or “Grace.”) and peace are yours!
Paul’s Prayer for the Thessalonians
2We always thank Theos for all of you as we remember you in our prayers. 3In the presence of our Theos and Father, we never forget that your faith is active, your love is working hard, and your confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ is enduring. 4Brothers and sisters, we never forget this because we know that Theos loves you and has chosen you. 5We know this because the Good News we brought came to you not only with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit (pneuma), and with complete certainty. In the same way you know what kind of people we were while we were with you and the good things we did for you.
6You imitated us and the Lord. In spite of a lot of suffering, you welcomed Theos’s word with the kind of joy that the Holy Spirit (pneuma) gives. 7This way, you became a model for all the believers in the province of Macedonia and Greece. 8From you the Lord’s word has spread out not only through the province of Macedonia and Greece but also to people everywhere who have heard about your faith in Theos. We don’t need to say a thing about it. 9They talk about how you welcomed us when we arrived. They even report how you turned away from false gods to serve the real, living Theos 10and to wait for his Son to come from heaven. His Son is Jesus, whom he brought back to life. Jesus is the one who rescues us from ⌞Theos’s⌟ coming anger.
1 Thessalonians 2
Paul Remembers When He Was with the Thessalonians
1You know, brothers and sisters, that our time with you was not wasted. 2As you know, we suffered rough and insulting treatment in Philippi. But our Theos gave us the courage to tell you his Good News in spite of strong opposition.
3When we encouraged you, we didn’t use unethical schemes, corrupt practices, or deception. 4Rather, we are always spreading the Good News. Theos trusts us to do this because we passed his test. We don’t try to please people but Theos, who tests our motives. 5As you know, we never used flattery or schemes to make money. Theos is our witness! 6We didn’t seek praise from people, from you or from anyone else, 7although as apostles of Christ we had the right to do this.
Instead, we were gentle when we were with you, like a mother taking care of her children. 8We felt so strongly about you that we were determined to share with you not only the Good News of Theos but also our lives. That’s how dear you were to us! 9You remember, brothers and sisters, our work and what we did to earn a living. We worked night and day so that we could bring you the Good News of Theos without being a burden to any of you. 10You and Theos are witnesses of how pure, honest, and blameless we were in our dealings with you believers. 11You know very well that we treated each of you the way a father treats his children. We comforted you and encouraged you. Yet, we insisted that 12you should live in a way that proves you belong to the Theos who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
Paul Remembers How the Thessalonians Received Theos’s Word
13Here is another reason why we never stop thanking Theos: When you received Theos’s word from us, you realized it wasn’t human words. Instead, you accepted it for what it really is—Theos’s word. This word is at work in you believers.
14You, brothers and sisters, were like the churches of Theos in Judea that are united with Christ Jesus. You suffered the same persecutions from the people of your own country as those churches did from the Jews 15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and who have persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to Theos. They are enemies of the whole human race 16because they try to keep us from telling people who are not Jewish how they can be saved. The result is that those Jews always commit as many sins as possible. So at last they are receiving ⌞Theos’s⌟ anger.
17Brothers and sisters, we have been separated from you for a little while. Although we may not be able to see you, you’re always in our thoughts. We have made every possible effort to fulfill our desire to see you. 18We wanted to visit you. I, Paul, wanted to visit you twice already, but Satan made that impossible.
19Who is our hope, joy, or prize that we can brag about in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Isn’t it you? 20You are our glory and joy!
1 Thessalonians 3
Timothy’s Report to Paul
1We thought it best to remain in Athens by ourselves. But, because we couldn’t wait any longer ⌞for news about you⌟, 2we sent our brother Timothy to you. He serves Theos by spreading the Good News about Christ. His mission was to strengthen and encourage you in your faith 3so that these troubles don’t disturb any of you. You know that we’re destined to suffer persecution. 4In fact, when we were with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to suffer persecution. And as you know, that’s what happened. 5But when I couldn’t wait any longer, I sent ⌞Timothy⌟ to find out about your faith. I wanted to see whether the tempter had in some way tempted you, making our work meaningless.
6But Timothy has just now come back to us from you and has told us the good news about your faith and love. He also told us that you always have fond memories of us and want to see us, as we want to see you. 7So brothers and sisters, your faith has encouraged us in all our distress and trouble. 8Now we can go on living as long as you keep your relationship with the Lord firm.
9We can never thank Theos enough for all the joy you give us as we rejoice in Theos’s presence. 10We pray very hard night and day that we may see you again so that we can supply whatever you still need for your faith. 11We pray that Theos our Father and the Lord Jesus will guide us to you. 12We also pray that the Lord will greatly increase your love for each other and for everyone else, just as we love you. 13Then he will strengthen you to be holy. Then you will be blameless in the presence of our Theos and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all Theos’s holy people.
1 Thessalonians 4
Instructions on the Way Christians Should Live
1Now then, brothers and sisters, because of the Lord Jesus we ask and encourage you to excel in living a Theos-pleasing life even more than you already do. Do this the way we taught you. 2You know what orders we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3It is Theos’s will that you keep away from sexual sin as a mark of your devotion to him. 4Each of you should know that finding a husband or wife for yourself is to be done in a holy and honorable way, 5not in the passionate, lustful way of people who don’t know Theos. 6No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this. 7Theos didn’t call us to be sexually immoral but to be holy. 8Therefore, whoever rejects this ⌞order⌟ is not rejecting human authority but Theos, who gives you his Holy Spirit (pneuma).
9You don’t need anyone to write to you about the way Christians should love each other. Theos has taught you to love each other. 10In fact, you are showing love to all the Christians throughout the province of Macedonia. We encourage you as believers to excel in love even more. 11Also, make it your goal to live quietly, do your work, and earn your own living, as we ordered you. 12Then your way of life will win respect from those outside ⌞the church⌟, and you won’t have to depend on anyone else for what you need.
Comfort about Christians Who Have Died
13Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to be ignorant about those who have died. We don’t want you to grieve like other people who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and came back to life. We also believe that, through Jesus, Theos will bring back those who have died. They will come back with Jesus. 15We are telling you what the Lord taught. We who are still alive when the Lord comes will not go ⌞into his kingdom⌟ ahead of those who have already died. 16The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet ⌞call⌟ of Theos. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life. 17Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way we will always be with the Lord. 18So then, comfort each other with these words!
1 Thessalonians 5
Be Ready for the Day of the Lord
1Brothers and sisters, you don’t need anyone to write to you about times and dates. 2You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3When people say, “Everything is safe and sound!” destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won’t be able to escape. 4But, brothers and sisters, you don’t live in the dark. That day won’t take you by surprise as a thief would. 5You belong to the day and the light not to the night and the dark. 6Therefore, we must not fall asleep like other people, but we must stay awake and be sober. 7People who sleep, sleep at night; people who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8Since we belong to the day, we must be sober. We must put on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9It was not Theos’s intention that we experience his anger but that we obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10He died for us so that, whether we are awake in this life or asleep in death, we will live together with him. 11Therefore, encourage each other and strengthen one another as you are doing.
Paul Encourages the Thessalonians
12Brothers and sisters, we ask you to show your appreciation for those leaders who work among you and instruct you. 13We ask you to love them and think very highly of them because of the work they are doing. Live in peace with each other.
14We encourage you, brothers and sisters, to instruct those who are not living right, cheer up those who are discouraged, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that no one ever pays back one wrong with another wrong. Instead, always try to do what is good for each other and everyone else.
16Always be joyful. 17Never stop praying. 18Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is Theos’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this.
19Don’t put out the Spirit (pneuma)’s fire. 20Don’t despise what Theos has revealed. 21Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good. 22Keep away from every kind of evil.
Farewell
23May the Theos who gives peace make you holy in every way. May he keep your whole being—spirit (pneuma), soul, and body—blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 24The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
25Brothers and sisters, pray for us.
26Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.
27In the Lord’s name, I order you to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.
28The good will (Or “grace.”) of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.