GetPassageurn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:52urn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:52Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus to the assembly of Thessalonians in God [ the ] Father and [ the ] Lord Jesus Christ . Grace to you and peace . We give thanks to God always for you all , making mention of you at our prayers , remembering unceasingly your work of faith , and labour of love , and enduring constancy of hope , of our Lord Jesus Christ , before our God and Father ; knowing , brethren beloved by God , your election . For our glad tidings were not with you in word only , but also in power , and in [ the ] Holy Spirit , and in much assurance ; even as ye know what we were among you for your sakes : and * ye * became our imitators , and of the Lord , having accepted the word in much tribulation with joy of [ the ] Holy Spirit , so that ye became models to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia : for the word of the Lord sounded out from you , not only in Macedonia and Achaia , but in every place your faith which [ is ] towards God has gone abroad , so that we have no need to say anything ; for they themselves relate concerning us what entering in we had to you , and how ye turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God , and to await his Son from the heavens , whom he raised from among the dead , Jesus , our deliverer from the coming wrath . For ye know yourselves , brethren , our entering in which [ we had ] to you , that it has not been in vain ; but , having suffered before and been insulted , even as ye know , in Philippi , we were bold in our God to speak unto you the glad tidings of God with much earnest striving . For our exhortation [ was ] not of deceit , nor of uncleanness , nor in guile ; but even as we have been approved of God to have the glad tidings entrusted to us , so we speak ; not as pleasing men , but God , who proves our hearts . For we have not at any time been [ among you ] with flattering discourse , even as ye know , nor with a pretext for covetousness , God [ is ] witness ; nor seeking glory from men , neither from you nor from others , when we might have been a charge as Christ's apostles ; but have been gentle in the midst of you , as a nurse would cherish her own children . Thus , yearning over you , we had found our delight in having imparted to you not only the glad tidings of God , but our own lives also , because ye had become beloved of us . For ye remember , brethren , our labour and toil : working night and day , not to be chargeable to any one of you , we have preached to you the glad tidings of God . * Ye * [ are ] witnesses , and God , how piously and righteously and blamelessly we have conducted ourselves with you that believe : as ye know how , as a father his own children , we used to exhort each one of you , and comfort and testify , that ye should walk worthy of God , who calls you to his own kingdom and glory . And for this cause we also give thanks to God unceasingly that , having received [ the ] word of [ the ] report of God by us , ye accepted , not men's word , but , even as it is truly , God's word , which also works in you who believe . For * ye * , brethren , have become imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus ; for * ye * also have suffered the same things of your own countrymen as also * they * of the Jews , who have both slain the Lord Jesus and the prophets , and have driven us out by persecution , and do not please God , and [ are ] against all men , forbidding us to speak to the nations that they may be saved , that they may fill up their sins always : but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost . But we , brethren , having been bereaved of you and separated for a little moment in person , not in heart , have used more abundant diligence to see your face with much desire ; wherefore we have desired to come to you , even I Paul , both once and twice , and Satan has hindered us . For what [ is ] our hope , or joy , or crown of boasting ? [ are ] not * ye * also before our Lord Jesus at his coming ? for ye are our glory and joy . Wherefore , being no longer able to refrain ourselves , we thought good to be left alone in Athens , and sent Timotheus , our brother and fellow-workman under God in the glad tidings of Christ , to confirm you and encourage [ you ] concerning your faith , that no one might be moved by these afflictions . ( For yourselves know that we are set for this ; for also , when we were with you , we told you beforehand we are about to be in tribulation , even as also it came to pass , and ye know . ) For this reason * I * also , no longer able to refrain myself , sent to know your faith , lest perhaps the tempter had tempted you and our labour should be come to nothing . But Timotheus having just come to us from you , and brought to us the glad tidings of your faith and love , and that ye have always good remembrance of us , desiring much to see us , even as we also you ; for this reason we have been comforted in you , brethren , in all our distress and tribulation , through your faith , because now we live if * ye * stand firm in [ the ] Lord . For what thanksgiving can we render to God for you , for all the joy wherewith we rejoice on account of you before our God , night and day beseeching exceedingly to the end that we may see your face , and perfect what is lacking in your faith ? But our God and Father himself , and our Lord Jesus , direct our way to you . But you , may the Lord make to exceed and abound in love toward one another , and toward all , even as we also towards you , in order to the confirming of your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints . For the rest , then , brethren , we beg you and exhort you in [ the ] Lord Jesus , even as ye have received from us how ye ought to walk and please God , even as ye also do walk , that ye would abound still more . For ye know what charges we gave you through the Lord Jesus . For this is [ the ] will of God , [ even ] your sanctification , that ye should abstain from fornication ; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honour , ( not in passionate desire , even as the nations who know not God , ) not overstepping the rights of and wronging his brother in the matter , because the Lord [ is ] the avenger of all these things , even as we also told you before , and have fully testified . For God has not called us to uncleanness , but in sanctification . He therefore that [ in this ] disregards [ his brother ] , disregards , not man , but God , who has given also his Holy Spirit to you . Now concerning brotherly love ye have no need that we should write to you , for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another . For also ye do this towards all the brethren in the whole of Macedonia ; but we exhort you , brethren , to abound still more , and to seek earnestly to be quiet and mind your own affairs , and work with your [ own ] hands , even as we charged you , that ye may walk reputably towards those without , and may have need of no one . But we do not wish you to be ignorant , brethren , concerning them that are fallen asleep , to the end that ye be not grieved even as also the rest who have no hope . For if we believe that Jesus has died and has risen again , so also God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus . ( For this we say to you in [ the ] word of [ the ] Lord , that * we * , the living , who remain to the coming of the Lord , are in no way to anticipate those who have fallen asleep ; for the Lord himself , with an assembling shout , with archangel's voice and with trump of God , shall descend from heaven ; and the dead in Christ shall rise first ; then * we * , the living who remain , shall be caught up together with them in [ the ] clouds , to meet the Lord in [ the ] air ; and thus we shall be always with [ the ] Lord . So encourage one another with these words . ) But concerning the times and the seasons , brethren , ye have no need that ye should be written to , for ye know perfectly well yourselves , that the day of [ the ] Lord so comes as a thief by night . When they may say , Peace and safety , then sudden destruction comes upon them , as travail upon her that is with child ; and they shall in no wise escape . But * ye * , brethren , are not in darkness , that the day should overtake you as a thief : for all * ye * are sons of light and sons of day ; we are not of night nor of darkness . So then do not let us sleep as the rest do , but let us watch and be sober ; for they that sleep sleep by night , and they that drink drink by night ; but * we * being of [ the ] day , let us be sober , putting on [ the ] breastplate of faith and love , and as helmet [ the ] hope of salvation ; because God has not set us for wrath , but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ , who has died for us , that whether we may be watching or sleep , we may live together with him . Wherefore encourage one another , and build up each one the other , even as also ye do . But we beg you , brethren , to know those who labour among you , and take the lead among you in [ the ] Lord , and admonish you , and to regard them exceedingly in love on account of their work . Be in peace among yourselves . But we exhort you , brethren , admonish the disorderly , comfort the faint-hearted , sustain the weak , be patient towards all . See that no one render to any evil for evil , but pursue always what is good towards one another and towards all ; rejoice always ; pray unceasingly ; in everything give thanks , for this is [ the ] will of God in Christ Jesus towards you ; quench not the Spirit ; do not lightly esteem prophecies ; but prove all things , hold fast the right ; hold aloof from every form of wickedness . Now the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly : and your whole spirit , and soul , and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ . He [ is ] faithful who calls you , who will also perform [ it ] . Brethren , pray for us . Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss . I adjure you by the Lord that the letter be read to all the [ holy ] brethren . The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [ be ] with you .