The first Chapter.
Paul Silvanus and Timotheus.
Unto the congregation of the Thessalonians, in God the father, and in
the lord Iesus Christ. Grace be with you, and peace from God our
father, and from the lord Iesus Christ.
We give God thanks alwaye for you all, making mention of you in our
prayers without ceasing, and call to remembrance your work in the
faith, and labour in love and perseverance in the hope of our lord
Iesus Christ, in the sight of God our father: because we know brethren
beloved of God, how that ye are elect. For our gospell came not unto
you in word only, but also in power, and also in the holy ghost and in
much certainty, as ye know that we behaved ourselves among you, for
your sakes.
And ye counterfeited us, and of the lord: and received the word in much
affliction, with joy of the holy ghost: so that ye were an example to
all that believe in Macedonia, and Achaia. For from you sounded out the
word of the lord, not in Macedonia and in Achaia only: but your faith
also which ye have unto God, spread herself abroad in all quarters, so
greatly that it needeth not us to speak anything at all: for they
themselves shew of you what manner of entering in we had unto you, and
how ye turned to God from images for to serve the living and true God,
and for to look for his son from heaven, whom he raised from death: I
mean Iesus which delivereth us from wrath to come.
The .ij. Chapter.
For ye yourselves brethren know of our entrance in unto you, how that
it was not in vain: but even after that we had suffered before and were
shamefully entreated at Philippos (as ye well know) then were we bold
in our God to speak unto you the gospell of God, with much striving.
Our exhortation was not to bring you to error, nor yet to uncleanness,
neither was it with guile: but as we were allowed of God, that the
gospell should be committed unto us: even so we speak, not as though we
intended to please men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
Neither was our conversation at any time with flattering words (as ye
well know) neither in cloaked covetousness, God is record: neither
sought we praise of men, neither of you, nor yet of any other, when we
might have been chargable, as the Apostles of Christ: but were tender
among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children, so was our
affection toward you our good will was to have dealt unto you, not the
gospell of God only: but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto
us.
Ye remember brethren our labour and travail. For we laboured day and
night, because we would not be grievous unto any of you, and preached
you the gospell of God. Ye are witnesses, and so is God, how holily and
justly (that no man could blame us) we behaved ourselves among you that
believe, as ye know how that we exhorted and comforted, and besought
every one of you, as a father his children, that ye would walk worthy
of the lord, which hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
For this cause thank we God without ceasing, because that when ye
received of us the word, wherewith God was preached, ye received it not
as the word of man: but even as it was in deed, the word of God, which
worketh in you that believe. For ye brethren did counterfeit the
congregations of God which in jewry are in Christ Iesu: for ye have
suffered like things of your kinsmen, as we our selves have suffered of
the Iewes, which as they killed the lord Iesus and their own prophets,
even so have they persecuted us, and God they please not, and are
contrary to all men: and forbid us to preach unto the gentiles, that
they might be saved, to fulfil their sins: For the wrath of God is come
on them, even to the utmost.
For as much brethren as we are kept from you for a season, as
concerning the bodily presence but not in the heart, we enforced the
more to see you personally with great desire, and therefore we would
have come unto you, I Paul once and again: but Satan withstood us. For
what is our hope or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not ye it in the
presence of our lord Iesus Christ at his coming? yes ye are our glory
and joy.
The .iij. Chapter.
Wherefore since we could no longer forbear, it pleased us to remain at
Athens alone, and sent Timotheus our brother and minister of God, and
our labourfellow in the gospell of Christ, to stablish you, and to
comfort you over your faith, that no man should be moved in these
afflictions. For ye yourselves know that we are even appointed
thereunto. For verily when I was with you, I told you before that we
should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass, and as ye know. For
this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent that I might have
knowledge of your faith, lest haply the tempter had tempted you, and
that our labour had been bestowed in vain.
Now lately when Timotheus came from you unto us and declared to us your
faith, and your love, and how that ye have good remembrance of us
always, desiring to see us, as we desire to see you. Therefore brethren
had I consolation in you, in all our adversity, and necessity through
your faith. For now are we alive if ye stand steadfast in the lord. For
what thanks can we recompense to God again for you, over all the joy
that we joy for your sakes before our God, while we night and day pray
exceedingly, that we might see you presently, and might fulfil that
which is lacking in your faith.
God himself our father, and our lord Iesus Christ guide our journey
unto you: and the lord increase you, and make you flow over in love one
toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you, to
stablish your hearts that they might be without ought to be complained
on, in sanctifying {holiness} before God our father, at the coming of
our lord Iesus Christ, with all his saints.
The .iiij. Chapter.
Furthermore we beseech you brethren, and exhort you in the lord Iesus,
that ye increase more and more, even as ye have received of us, how ye
ought to walk and to please God. Ye remember what commandments we gave
you in the name of our lord Iesu. For this is the will of God, which is
your sanctifying, that ye should abstain from fornication, that every
one of you should know how to keep his vessel in holiness and honour,
and not in the lust of concupiscence, as do the heathen, which know not
God, that no man go beyond, and defraud his brother in bargaining,
because the lord is avenger of all such things: as we told you before
time, and testified unto you. For God hath not called us unto
uncleanness: but unto sanctifying. He therefore that despiseth,
despiseth not man, but God, which hath sent his holy spirit among you.
But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you. For
ye are taught of God to love one another. Ye and that thing verily ye
do unto all the brethren, which are thorowout all Macedonia. We beseech
you brethren that ye increase, more and more, and that ye study to be
quiet, and to meddle with your own business, and to work with your own
hands, as we commanded you: that ye may behave yourselves honestly
toward them that are without and that nothing be lacking unto you.
I would not brethren have you ignorant concerning them which are fallen
asleep, that ye sorrow not as other do which have no hope. For if we
believe that Iesus died, and rose again: even so them also which sleep
by Iesus, will God bring again with him. And this say we unto you in
the word of the lord, that we which live and are remaining in the
coming of the lord, shall not come yer they, which sleep. For the lord
himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the
archangel, and trompe of God. And the dead in Christe shall arise
first: then shall we which live and remain, be caught up with them also
in the clouds to meet the lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with
the lord. Wherefore comfort your selves one another with these words.
The .v. Chapter.
Of the times and seasons brethren ye have no need that I write unto
you: for ye your selves know perfectly, that the day of the lord shall
come even as a thief in the night. When they shall say peace and no
danger, then cometh on them sudden destruction, as the travailing of a
woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye brethren are not in
darkness, that that day should come on you as it were a thief. Ye are
all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of
the night, neither of darkness.
Therefore let us not sleep as do other: 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 which are of the day be sober, armed
with the breast plate of faith and love, and with hope of health, as an
helmet. For God hath not appointed us unto wrath: but to obtain health
by the means of our lord Iesu Christ, which died for us: that whether
we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as
ye do.
We beseech you brethren, that ye know them which labour among you, and
have the oversight of you in the lord, and give you exhortation, that
ye have them the more in love: For their work's sake, and be at peace
with them. We desire you brethren warn them that are unruly, comfort
the feeble minded, forbear the weak have continual patience toward all
men. See that none recompense evil for evil unto any man: but ever
follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
Rejoice ever. Pray continually. In all thing give thanks. For this is
the will of God in Christ Iesu toward you.
Quench not the spirit, despise not prophesying. Examine all things.
Reap that which is good. Abstain from all suspicious things. The very
God of peace sanctify you thorowout. And I pray God that your whole
spirit, soul, and body, be kept faultless unto the coming of our lord
Iesus Christ. Faithful is he, which called you: which will also do it.
Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. I
charge you in the lord, that this pistel be read unto all the wholly
brethren. The grace of the lord Iesus Christe be with you. Amen.
The first pistle unto the Tessalonyans written from Athens.