1 I PAUL and Sylvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus the Messiah: Grace be with you, and peace.
2 We give thanks to God at all times, on account of you all, and remember you continually in our prayers:
3 and we call to mind before God the Father the works of your faith, and the toil of your love, and the patience of your hope in our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
4 For we know your election, my brethren, beloved of God.
5 For our preaching among you, was not in words only; but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in genuine persuasion. Ye also know, how we were among you for your sakes.
6 And ye became imitators of us, and of our Lord, in that ye received the word in great affliction, and with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
7 And ye were a pattern for all the believers who are in Macedonia and in Achaia.
8 For from you the word of our Lord sounded forth; [and] not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place, your faith in God is heard of; so that we have no need to say any thing concerning you.
9 For they declare, what an ingress we had to you, and how ye turned from the worship of idols unto God, that ye might worship the living and true God;
10 while ye wait for his Son from heaven, that Jesus whom he raised from the dead, who delivereth us from the wrath to come.
|