defers to Pasilipal the Apostle to the Thessalonians chapter 1, Paul and Silvanus. And Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ, grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ and the sight of God and our Father, knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God, for a gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as ye know of what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord. Heaven received a word and much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost. so that you were in samples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God were to spread abroad, so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. Chapter 2 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain, but even after that we had suffered before and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention, for our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God which tries our hearts. For neither at any time use we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness. God is witness. nor man sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ, but we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children. So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear unto us, For you, remember, brethren, our labor in travail, for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you. We preached unto you the gospel of God, your witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that belief. If you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth whose children, that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. For ye, brethren, became followers of the church of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. For ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us. and they please not God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always, for the wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavor to more abundantly to see your face with great desire. Wherefore, we would have come unto you, even I, Paul, once and again, but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy. Chapter 3 Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone, and send Timotheus, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith. Yet no man should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. Prevarily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass. And ye know, for this cause, when I could no longer forbear I sinned to know your faith, lest by some means a tempter have tempted you. and her labor be in vain. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, is we also to see you. Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith. For now we live. If you stand fast in the Lord, for what things can we render to God again for you? For all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith. Now God himself and our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you. To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God. even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. Chapter 4 Furthermore then, we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification? Did ye should abstain from fornication? Did every one should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor? Not, in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. Did no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any manner, because that the Lord is the offender of all such? As we also have forewarned you and testified, For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore despiseth. Despiseth not man, but God, who has also given unto us his Holy Spirit. But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you. For ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia. But we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more, and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business. and to work with your own hands as we commanded you, that ye may walk honestly toward him that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. But I would not have ye to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not. even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. But at the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord shall cometh as a thief in the night, for when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, his travail upon a woman with child. and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day. You are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night. but let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet to hope and salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore, comfort yourself together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake, and be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men, See that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God and Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the spirit. Despise not prophesying. Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. In the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.