1 Thessalonians

Thanksgiving for Their Faithfulness

Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the assembly of the Thessalonians, in the Almĭghty, the Făther and ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒ the Mĕssiah: loving-kindness to you and shalōm.

^1:2We give thanks to the Almĭghty always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers, ³constantly bearing in mind your work of faithfulness and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒ the Mĕssiah, in the presence of our Almĭghty and Făther, ⁴knowing, brothers beloved by the Almĭghty, his choice of you.

⁵Because our good news did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spĭrit and with full conviction, just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. ⁶You also became imitators of us and ’Adŏnai̱, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spĭrit, ⁷so that you became an example to all those affirming faithfulness in Macedonia and in Achaia.

⁸Because the word of Yăhwēh has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faithfulness toward the Almĭghty has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything, ⁹because they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to the Almĭghty from idols to serve a living and true Almĭghty, ¹⁰and to wait for his Sŏn from the heavens, whom he raised from the dead, who is Yĕshūa̒, who delivers us from the coming wrath.

Paul’s Ministry

Because you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain, ^2:2but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our Almĭghty to speak to you the good news of the Almĭghty amid much opposition, ³because our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit, ⁴but just as we have been approved by the Almĭghty to be affirmed faithful with the good news, so we speak, not as pleasing men but the Almĭghty, who examines our hearts, ⁵because we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed, the Almĭghty is witness, ⁶nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as emissaries of Mĕssiah we could throw our weight around. ⁷But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

⁸Having likewise a fond affection for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the good news of the Almĭghty but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. ⁹Because you remember, brothers, our labor and toil, working night and day, so as not to put a burden on any of you, that we proclaimed to you the good news of the Almĭghty. ¹⁰You are witnesses, and the Almĭghty, how in holy manner, and righteous way and blameless way we were toward you who affirm faithfulness, ¹¹even as you know how, each one of you, as a father his children, we were exhorting and encouraging and testifying, ¹²that you should walk in a way worthy of the Almĭghty who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

¹³And because of this we also give thanks to the Almĭghty without ceasing, that as you received word of the report from us of the Almĭghty, you received not the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of the Almĭghty, which also works in you who affirm faithfulness.

¹⁴Because you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of the Almĭghty that are in Yehūdah, in Mĕssiah Yĕshūa̒, because you also suffered the same things under your own countrymen, even as they under the Yehūdi̱m, ¹⁵who even killed ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒ and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to the Almĭghty, but hostile to all men, ¹⁶hindering us from speaking to the nations that they might be saved, with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath overtakes them to the end.

¹⁷But we, brothers, having been orphaned from you for an hour’s time, in person, not in spirit, were all the more eager with great desire to see your face, ¹⁸because we wanted to come to you, I Paul, more than once, and yet Sâtan thwarted us. ¹⁹Because who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒ at his coming? ²⁰Because you are our glory and joy.

Encouragement of Timothy’s Visit

Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone. ^3:2And we sent Timothy, our brother and the Almĭghty’s fellow worker in the good news of Mĕssiah, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faithfulness, ³so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions, because you yourselves know that we have been destined for this, ⁴because indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction, and so it came to pass, as you know. ⁵For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faithfulness, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor should be in vain.

⁶But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faithfulness and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you. ⁷For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faithfulness, ⁸because now we really live, if you stand firm in Yăhwēh.

⁹Because what thanks can we render to the Almĭghty for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our Almĭghty on your account, ¹⁰as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faithfulness? ¹¹Now may our Almĭghty and Făther himself and Yĕshūa̒ our ’Adŏnai̱ direct our way to you.

¹²And may Yăhwēh cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you, ¹³so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our Almĭghty and Făther at the coming of our ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒ with all his holy ones.

Sanctification and Love

Finally then, brothers, we request and exhort you in ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please the Almĭghty, just as you actually do walk, that you may excel still more, ^4:2because you know what commandments we gave you by ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒. ³Because this is the will of the Almĭghty, your sanctification, that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality, ⁴that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵not in lustful passion, like the nations who do not know the Almĭghty, ⁶and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter, because Yăhwēh is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you, ⁷because the Almĭghty has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. ⁸Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the Almĭghty who gives his Holy Spĭrit to you.

⁹Now as to the love of the brothers, you have no need for anyone to write to you, because you yourselves are taught by the Almĭghty to love one another, ¹⁰because indeed you do practice it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel still more, ¹¹and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, ¹²so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

Those Who Died in Mĕssiah

¹³But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are falling asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. ¹⁴Because if we affirm faithfulness, because Yĕshūa̒ died and rose again, even so the Almĭghty will bring with him those who are fallen asleep in Yĕshūa̒. ¹⁵Because this we say to you by the word of Yăhwēh, that we who are alive, and remain until the presence of Yăhwēh, will not overtake those who are fallen asleep. ¹⁶Because Yăhwēh himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the chief Mĕssenger, and with the shōfar of the Almĭghty, and the dead in Mĕssiah will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive and remain will be carried away in the clouds together with them to meet Yăhwēh by air, and thus we will always be with Yăhwēh. ¹⁸Therefore comfort one another with these words.

The Day of Yăhwēh

Now as to the times and the epochs, brothers, you have no need of anything to be written to you, ^5:2because you yourselves know full well that the day of Yăhwēh will come just like a thief in the night. ³While they are saying, “Shalōm and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

⁴But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief, ⁵because you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness, ⁶so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. ⁷Because those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. ⁸But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faithfulness and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation, ⁹because the Almĭghty has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒ the Mĕssiah, ¹⁰who died for us, that whether we are awake or may sleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

¹²But we request of you, brothers, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in Yăhwēh and give you instruction, ¹³and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in shalōm with one another. ¹⁴And we urge you, brothers, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.

¹⁵See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men.

¹⁶Rejoice always! ¹⁷Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸In everything give thanks, because this is the Almĭghty’s will for you in Mĕssiah Yĕshūa̒.

¹⁹Do not quench the Spĭrit. ²⁰Do not despise prophetic utterances. ²¹But test all things. Hold fast to that which is good. ²²Abstain from all appearance of evil.

²³Now may the Almĭghty of shalōm himself sanctify you wholly perfect, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved wholly intact, blamelessly in the presence of our ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒ the Mĕssiah. ²⁴Faithful is he who calls you. And he also will bring it to pass.

²⁵Brothers, pray for us.

²⁶Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

²⁷I solemnly charge you by Yăhwēh to have this letter read to all the brothers.

²⁸The loving-kindness of our ’Adŏnai̱ Yĕshūa̒ the Mĕssiah be with you.