1 Thessalonians
1
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy greet the church of Thessalonians. They thank God constantly for them and their election, and their working and famous faith.
Paul greets the church of the Thessalonians with co-senders Silvanus, and Timothy with grace and peace. Paul begins by saying they give thanks to God for their work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. They know God chose them, brothers loved by God, because the gospel came to them in power, in the Holy Spirit, with full conviction, much affliction, and joy of the Holy Spirit. The church imitates them and the Lord and serves as an example to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia. They send out the word of the Lord in Macedonia and Achaia, and their faith in God and reception of Paul's preaching and turning from idols to serving the living and true God has gone forth everywhere, and waiting for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead to deliver us from the wrath to come.
2
Despite conflict, Paul preached with success in Thessalonica. He did this for God alone, approaching them as lovingly as a mother and with the exhortations and encouragement of a father. The church, too, has suffered the same harm as Judea, Jesus, and the prophets, and God's wrath has come upon them.
The Thessalonians know their coming was not in vain. Despite suffering and conflict at Philippi, they had boldness in their God to declare the gospel to their church. God is a witness that they preach not in error, impurity, deception, with words of flattery, with a pretext for greed, nor while seeking glory from people. They preach with God's approval, not seeking to please people, but to please God who tests our hearts. They could have made demands as apostles of Christ, but they were gentle as a nursing mother, affectionately desirous of them, and shared not only the gospel but their own selves.
Paul and his co-senders worked night and day so as to not be a burden to them. Their conduct was holy, righteous, and blameless toward the church. Like a father, they exhorted, encouraged, and charged them to walk in a manner worthy of God.
Paul and his co-senders thank God constantly for all that but also for when they received the word of God, they accepted it not as the word of man, and it is at work in them. They are imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus in Judea, having suffered the same things from their own countrymen as they did the Jews who killed Jesus, the prophets, and drove them out. They displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering them from speaking to Gentiles. God's wrath has come upon them at last.
3
Paul and Silvanus stayed in Athens while Timothy returned to the church of the Thessalonians to establish and exhort them during a time of affliction. He brought good news of their faith and love and longing to meet Paul's band again. Paul's band, though afflicted and distressed, was comforted and overjoyed. May the Lord increase their love and establish their hearts blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus and his saints.
Therefore when Paul and Silvanus could no longer bear it, they stayed at Athens and sent Timothy to establish and exhort the church of the Thessalonians so no one falls away because of the afflictions. They knew persecution was inevitable, just like Paul had told them. When Paul could bear it no longer, he sent to see the state of their faith, for fear of temptation ruining his labor.
But Timothy returned with good news of their faith and love, reporting they always remember their missionary band kindly and long to see them. Their faith comforted Paul's band in the midst of distress and affliction, for now they live if the Thessalonians are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can Paul's band offer for their sake, for all the joy they give him before their God, as he earnestly prays night and day to meet again and supply what is lacking in their faith?
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct Paul's band to them, may the Lord make them increase their love for others, as Paul's band does for them, so that God may establish their hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with his saints.
4
Please God even more in your life. Control your body in holiness and love more and more. Aspire to live quietly, mind your own affairs, and work with your hands. Remember Jesus will descend from heaven and raise the dead before catching those still alive up in the clouds to meet Him and be with him forever, so do not grieve without hope and encourage each other.
Walk and please God even more than you are. You know to abstain from sexual immortality, control your body in holiness and honor, don't transgress and wrong your brother in this matter for the Lord is an avenger in all these things and has called us for holiness.
Love more and more, as the Thessalonians already were doing throughout Macedonia. Aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and work with your hands, so you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Do not be uninformed about those who are asleep, so you may not grieve as the hopeless. We believe Jesus rose again, and through Jesus, God will bring with him those asleep. We who are alive during the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. The Lord will descend from heaven with a cry of command, the voice of an archangel, and the sound of the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then the living will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and will always be with the Lord. Encourage one another with these words.
5
The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night and destroy unexpectedly, but God's children will not be surprised. Guard yourself with faith, love, and salvation. Live respectfully, peacefully, encouragingly, actively, truthfully, and goodly with the church and everyone. May God sanctify us so we are blameless at the coming of His Son. Read 1 Thessalonians to all the brothers.
The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people feel there is peace and security, sudden destruction will come upon them. Children of the day are not in darkness and will not be surprised like a thief. Keep awake and sober, not like those who sleep and drink at night. Put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of hope of salvation. Encourage each other that God destined us for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Respect and esteem those who labor among you and over you in the Lord. Be at peace among yourselves. Admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. Ensure no one repays evil with evil, and always seek to do good to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances. This is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything. Hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely that you be blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful to do it. Paul asks the church to pray for them, to greet the brothers with a holy kiss, and read 1 Thessalonians to all the brothers.