1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians

Greeting

From Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy—

To the gathering of the Thessalonians,

in God the Father and the Master, Jesus the Anointed One:

Grace and peace to you.

Thankfulness for Their Faith

We always give thanks to God for all of you,

continually mentioning you in our prayers.

We remember before our God and Father:

your work produced by trust,

your labor motivated by love,

and your endurance inspired by hope

in our Master, Jesus the Anointed One.

Chosen and Empowered

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God,

that He has chosen you—

because our good news did not come to you

with words only,

but also with power,

with the Set-Apart Breath,

and with deep conviction.

You know how we lived among you

for your sake.

You became imitators of us and of the Master,

for you welcomed the message

in the midst of severe suffering

with the joy given by the Breath.

And so you became examples to all the believers

in Macedonia and Achaia.

A Message That Echoes Outward

The word of the Master rang out from you—

not only in Macedonia and Achaia,

but your trust in God has become known everywhere.

Therefore we do not need to say anything about it.

For they themselves report

what kind of welcome you gave us.

They tell how you turned to God from idols

to serve the living and true God,

and to wait for His Son from the heavens,

whom He raised from the dead—

Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

———

Boldness in the Midst of Opposition

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters,

that our visit to you was not without purpose.

We had previously suffered

and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know,

but with the help of our God

we dared to proclaim the good news of God to you

in the face of strong opposition.

For the appeal we make

does not come from error, impure motives, or deceit.

On the contrary,

we speak as those approved by God

to be entrusted with the good news.

We are not trying to please people,

but God, who tests our hearts.

No Masks, No Greed, No Praise-Seeking

You know we never used flattery,

nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.

We were not looking for praise from people,

not from you or anyone else,

even though as sent ones of the Anointed One

we could have asserted our authority.

Instead, we were gentle among you,

like a nursing mother caring for her children.

Shared Not Only the Word, But Our Lives

Because we loved you so much,

we were delighted to share with you

not only the good news of God

but our very lives as well,

because you had become dear to us.

Surely you remember, brothers and sisters,

our labor and hardship.

We worked night and day

so that we would not be a burden to any of you

while we proclaimed the good news of God.

You are witnesses, and so is God,

of how holy, righteous, and blameless

we were among you who believe.

Like a Father With His Children

For you know that we dealt with each of you

as a father deals with his own children,

encouraging, comforting, and urging you

to live lives worthy of God,

who calls you into His reign and glory.

The Word at Work in You

And we also thank God continually

because when you received the word of God

which you heard from us,

you accepted it not as a human word,

but as what it truly is—the word of God,

which is indeed at work in you who trust.

Shared Suffering

For you, brothers and sisters,

became imitators of God’s gatherings in Judea,

which are in the Anointed One, Jesus.

You suffered from your own people

the same things those gatherings suffered

from the Judean religious leaders,

who killed both the Master, Jesus, and the prophets,

and also drove us out.

They displease God

and are hostile to everyone

in their effort to keep us

from speaking to the Gentiles

so that they may be rescued.

In doing this,

they always heap up their sins to the limit.

Wrath has come upon them at last.

Longing to Return

But, brothers and sisters,

when we were separated from you for a short time—

in person, not in heart—

we made every effort, with great longing, to see you again.

For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did—again and again,

but the Adversary blocked our way.

You Are Our Glory and Joy

For what is our hope,

our joy,

or the crown in which we will glory

in the presence of our Master, Jesus,

when He comes?

Is it not you?

Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

———

Sending Timothy in Concern

So when we could stand it no longer,

we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.

We sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker for God

in proclaiming the good news of the Anointed One,

to strengthen and encourage you in your trust,

so that no one would be unsettled by these troubles.

You know quite well

that we were destined for them.

In fact, when we were with you,

we kept warning you

that we would be persecuted—

and it turned out that way, as you well know.

For this reason, when I could bear it no longer,

I sent to find out about your trust.

I was afraid that somehow the Tester had tempted you

and that our labors might have been in vain.

Timothy’s Good Report

But now Timothy has just come to us from you

and has brought good news about your trust and love.

He has told us

that you always have pleasant memories of us

and that you long to see us—just as we also long to see you.

Therefore, brothers and sisters,

in all our distress and trouble,

we were encouraged about you through your trust.

For now we really live,

since you are standing firm in the Master.

Joy in Their Endurance

How can we thank God enough for you

in return for all the joy we have

in the presence of our God because of you?

Night and day we pray most earnestly

that we may see you again

and supply what is lacking in your trust.

A Prayer for Growth and Strength

Now may our God and Father Himself

and our Master, Jesus,

clear the way for us to come to you.

May the Master make your love

increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else,

just as ours does for you.

May He strengthen your hearts,

so that you will be blameless and set apart

in the presence of our God and Father

when our Master, Jesus, comes

with all His set-apart ones.

———

Live to Please God

As for other matters, brothers and sisters,

we instructed you how to live in a way that pleases God,

as in fact you are doing.

Now we ask and urge you in the Master, Jesus,

to do this more and more.

For you know what instructions we gave you

by the authority of the Master, Jesus.

It is God’s will that you be set apart:

that you avoid sexual immorality,

that each of you should learn to control your own body

in a way that is set apart and honorable,

not in passionate lust like the nations,

who do not know God;

and that in this matter

no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.

The Master will punish all those who commit such sins,

as we told you and warned you before.

For God did not call us to be impure,

but to live a set-apart life.

Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction

does not reject a human being

but God,

who gives you His set-apart Breath.

Love and a Quiet Life

Now about your love for one another:

we do not need to write to you,

for you yourselves have been taught by God

to love each other.

And in fact, you do love all of God’s family

throughout Macedonia.

Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters,

to do so more and more,

and to make it your ambition

to live a quiet life:

to mind your own business

and to work with your hands, just as we told you,

so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders

and so that you will not be dependent on anyone.

The Coming of the Master

Brothers and sisters,

we do not want you to be uninformed

about those who have fallen asleep,

so that you do not grieve like the rest of the world,

who have no hope.

For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,

and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus

those who have fallen asleep in Him.

According to the Master’s own word,

we tell you that we who are still alive,

who are left until the coming of the Master,

will certainly not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep.

For the Master Himself will come down from the heavens,

with a commanding shout,

with the voice of a chief messenger,

and with the trumpet call of God.

And the dead in the Anointed One will rise first.

After that, we who are still alive and remain

will be caught up together with them in the clouds

to meet the Master in the air.

And so we will be with the Master forever.

Therefore, encourage one another with these words.

———

The Day of the Master

Now about the times and seasons, brothers and sisters,

you do not need anyone to write to you,

for you know very well

that the day of the Master will come like a thief in the night.

While people are saying,

“Peace and safety,”

destruction will come on them suddenly,

like labor pains on a pregnant woman,

and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness

so that this day should surprise you like a thief.

You are all children of light and children of the day.

We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

So then, let us not sleep as others do,

but let us be awake and sober.

For those who sleep, sleep at night,

and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

But since we belong to the day,

let us be sober,

putting on trust and love as a breastplate,

and the hope of rescue as a helmet.

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath

but to receive rescue through our Master, Jesus the Anointed One.

He died for us

so that, whether we are awake or asleep,

we may live together with Him.

Therefore encourage one another

and build each other up,

just as you are doing.

Honor and Live Peaceably

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters,

to respect those who work hard among you,

who are over you in the Master and who admonish you.

Hold them in the highest regard in love

because of their work.

Live in peace with one another.

And we urge you, brothers and sisters:

warn those who are idle and disruptive,

encourage the disheartened,

help the weak,

be patient with everyone.

Make sure that no one repays wrong for wrong,

but always strive to do what is good

for each other and for everyone else.

Rejoice Always — Walk in the Breath

Rejoice always,

pray without ceasing,

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you in the Anointed One, Jesus.

Do not quench the Breath.

Do not treat prophecies with contempt,

but test everything;

hold on to what is good.

Reject every kind of evil.

Final Blessing

May the God of peace Himself

set you apart completely,

and may your whole spirit, soul, and body

be kept blameless at the coming of our Master, Jesus the Anointed One.

The One who calls you is faithful,

and He will do it.

Final Instructions and Greeting

Brothers and sisters,

pray for us.

Greet all the set-apart ones with a set-apart kiss.

I charge you before the Master

to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

The grace of our Master, Jesus the Anointed One,

be with you.

Amen.