                             First Thessalonians



Chapter 1

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.
2   We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in
    our prayers:
3   Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love,
    and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God
    and our Father;
4   Knowing brethern beloved, your election of God.
5   For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and
    in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of
    men we were among you for your sake.
6   And ye became followers of us, and the Lord, having received the word
    in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
7   So that ye were ensamaples to all that beleive in Macedonia and Achaia.
8   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-ward is spread
    abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
9   For they themselves shew 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;
10  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

1   For yourselves, brethern, know our entrance in unto you, that it was
    not in vain:
2   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.
3   For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in
    guile:
4   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 trieth our
    hearts.
5   For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a
    cloak of covetousness; God is witness:
6   Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when
    we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
7   But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
8   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 ye were dear unto us.
9   For ye remember, brethern, our labour and travail: for labouring night
    and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we
    preached unto you the gospel of God.
10  Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably
    we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
11  As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you,
    as father doth his children.
12  That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom
    and glory.
13  For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, because, when ye
    received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye recieved 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.
14  For ye, brethern, became followers of the churches of God which in
    Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of
    your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
15  Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and thier own prophets, and have
    persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
16  Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to
    fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon then to the
    uttermost.
17  But we, brethern, being taken from you for a short time in presence,
    not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with
    great desire.
18  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again;
    but Satan hindered us.
19  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?
20  For ye are our glory and our joy.

Chapter 3

1   Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be
    left at Athens alone;
2   And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow
    labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort
    you concerning your faith:
3   That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know
    that we are appointed thereunto.
4   For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should
    suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
5   For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your
    faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour
    be in vain.
6   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, as we also to see you:
7   Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction
    and distress by your faith:
8   For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
9   For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy
    wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
10  Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and
    might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
11  Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct
    our way unto you.
12  And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward
    another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
13  To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before
    God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all
    his saints.

Chapter 4

1   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.
2   For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3   For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should
    abstain from fornication:
4   That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in
    sanctification and honour;
5   Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not
    God:
6   That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because
    that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you
    and testified.
7   For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
8   He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also
    given unto us his holy Spirit.
9   But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for
    ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
10  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;
11  And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work
    with your own hands, as we commanded you;
12  That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may
    have lack of nothing.
13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them
    which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also
    which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15  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.
16  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:
17  Then 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.
18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Chapter 5

1   But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write
    unto you.
2   For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a
    thief in the night.
3   For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction
    cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not
    escape.
4   But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you
    as a thief.
5   Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are
    not of the night, nor of darkness.
6   Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7   For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are
    drunken in the night.
8   But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of
    faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9   For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our
    Lord Jesus Christ,
10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together
    with him.
11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as
    also ye do.
12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and
    are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at
    peace among yourselves.
14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the
    feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15  See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that
    which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
16  Rejoice evermore.
17  Pray without ceasing.
18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
    concerning you.
19  Quench not the Spirit.
20  Despise not prophesyings.
21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22  Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23  And 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.
24  Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
25  Brethren, pray for us.
26  Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
27  I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy
    brethren.
28  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
