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From Paul, Silas [Acts 15:22, 40], and Timothy [Acts 16:1–5; 1 Cor. 16:10–11; Phil. 2:19–24; 1 and 2 Timothy].

To the church in Thessalonica [L of the Thessalonians; C a city in Macedonia, present-day northern Greece], the church in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.

The Faith of the Thessalonians

We always thank God for all of you and mention you when we pray. We continually recall before God our Father ·the things you have done because of your faith [L your work of/from faith], ·the work you have done because of your love [L your labor of/from love] and your ·continuing strength because of your hope [L endurance of/from hope] in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Brothers and sisters, God loves you, and we know he has chosen you, because the ·Good News [Gospel] we brought to you came not only with words, but with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with ·sure knowledge that it is true [great conviction]. You know how we lived when we were with you ·in order to help you [for your sake]. And you became ·like us and like [imitators of us and of] the Lord. You ·suffered much [experienced many trials/much persecution], but still you accepted the teaching with the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. So you became an ·example to [model for] all the believers in Macedonia [C the Roman province in which Thessalonica was located, present-day northern Greece] and Achaia [C present-day southern Greece]. And the Lord’s ·teaching [message; word] ·spread [rang out; sounded forth] from you not only into Macedonia and Achaia, but now your faith in God has ·become known [gone forth] everywhere. So we do not need to say anything about it. ·People everywhere [L For they themselves] are ·telling [reporting; announcing] about the way you ·accepted [welcomed] us when we were there with you. They tell how you ·stopped worshiping idols [L turned to God from idols] to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom God raised from the dead. He is Jesus, who ·saves [rescues; delivers] us from ·God’s angry judgment that is sure to come [L the coming wrath].

Paul, Silas[a](A) and Timothy,(B)

To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.(D)

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

We always thank God for all of you(E) and continually mention you in our prayers.(F) We remember before our God and Father(G) your work produced by faith,(H) your labor prompted by love,(I) and your endurance inspired by hope(J) in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers and sisters[b] loved by God,(K) that he has chosen you, because our gospel(L) came to you not simply with words but also with power,(M) with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know(N) how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us(O) and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering(P) with the joy(Q) given by the Holy Spirit.(R) And so you became a model(S) to all the believers in Macedonia(T) and Achaia.(U) The Lord’s message(V) rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.(W) Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned(X) to God from idols(Y) to serve the living and true God,(Z) 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven,(AA) whom he raised from the dead(AB)—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.(AC)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
  2. 1 Thessalonians 1:4 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 2:1, 9, 14, 17; 3:7; 4:1, 10, 13; 5:1, 4, 12, 14, 25, 27.