EMTV - I Thessalonians

Chapter 1

1:1  Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:2  We give thanks to God always concerning you all, making mention of you in our prayers,

1:3  constantly remembering your work of faith, labor of love, and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,

1:4  knowing, beloved brothers, your election by God.

1:5  For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, just as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

1:6  And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, in that you received the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

1:7  so that you became patterns to all those who believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

1:8  For from you the word of the Lord has resounded, not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we need not say anything.

1:9  For they themselves report about us what kind of entrance we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

1:10  and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.

Chapter 2

2:1  For you yourselves know, brothers, regarding our coming to you, that it was not in vain.

2:2  But suffering before and being spitefully treated at Philippi, just as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God with much conflict.

2:3  For our exhortation was not from error nor from uncleanness, nor in deceit,

2:4  but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who is testing our hearts.

2:5  For neither were we using flattering speech, as you know, nor covering up greed, God is our witness.

2:6  Nor seeking glory from men, neither from you, nor from others, even though we were able to carry weight as apostles of Christ.

2:7  But we proved to be gentle in your midst, as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

2:8  In this way longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own souls, because you had become dear to us.

2:9  For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

2:10  You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we were among you that believe;

2:11  as indeed you know how each one of you, as a father to his own children, we exhorted, and comforted you, and imploring you,

2:12  that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

2:13  Because of this we also give thanks to God unceasingly, so that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received not the word of men, but just as it truly is, the word of God, which also is at work in you that believe.

2:14  For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you suffered the same things from your fellow countrymen, just as they did from the Jews,

2:15  who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are hostile to all men,

2:16  forbidding us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but the wrath of God has come upon them to the uttermost.

2:17  But we, brothers, being unwillingly separated from you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, were all the more eager to see your face with much desire.

2:18  Therefore we desired to come to you—I, Paul, time and again, but Satan hindered us.

2:19  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

2:20  For you are our glory and joy.

Chapter 3

3:1  Therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we were well pleased to be left behind at Athens alone,

3:2  and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, in order to establish you and exhort you concerning your faith,

3:3  that no one should be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.

3:4  For even when we were with you, we were telling you in advance that we were going to be afflicted, just as it has come to pass, and as you know.

3:5  Because of this, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, lest somehow the tempter had tempted you, and our labor be in vain.

3:6  But now when Timothy came to us from you, and brought good news to us of your faith and your love, and that you have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, as we also long to see you—

3:7  because of this we were encouraged, brothers, in regard to you in all our affliction and distress by your faith.

3:8  For now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord.

3:9  For whatever thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we are rejoicing because of you in the presence of our God,

3:10  night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and to perfect what is lacking in your faith?

3:11  Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, lead us directly to you.

3:12  And may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, as indeed we also do toward you,

3:13  so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

Chapter 4

4:1  Finally then, brothers, we request of you and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you do so more and more.

4:2  For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

4:3  For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality,

4:4  that each of you should know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor,

4:5  not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God,

4:6  that no one should transgress against and to defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we told you before and solemnly warned you.

4:7  For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in sanctification.

4:8  Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has given His Holy Spirit to you.

4:9  Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for me to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.

4:10  For indeed you do so toward all the brothers in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you increase more and more,

4:11  and that you aspire to be quiet, and to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, just as we commanded you,

4:12  in order that you may walk decently toward those that are outside, and may have need of nothing.

4:13  Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you be sorrowful as those who have no hope.

4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, thus also God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

4:15  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.

4:16  Because the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

4:17  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall always be with the Lord.

4:18  So then comfort one another with these words.

Chapter 5

5:1  But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I should write to you.

5:2  For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

5:3  For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, just as labor pains upon the woman that is pregnant, and they shall by no means escape.

5:4  But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

5:5  You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness.

5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

5:7  For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.

5:8  But we, since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on a breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

5:9  For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

5:10  who died for us, in order that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.

5:11  Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

5:12  And we request of you, brothers, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and instruct you,

5:13  and to regard them beyond all measure in love, because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

5:14  Now we exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, encourage the discouraged, be supportive of the weak, be patient toward all.

5:15  See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue that which is good, both for one another and for all.

5:16  Rejoice always!

5:17  Pray without ceasing!

5:18  In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

5:19  Do not quench the Spirit.

5:20  Do not despise prophecies.

5:21  But test all things; hold fast that which is good.

5:22  Abstain from every form of evil.

5:23  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

5:24  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do this.

5:25  Brothers, pray for us.

5:26  Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

5:27  I adjure you by the Lord for this letter to be read to all the holy brothers.

5:28  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.