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1 Thessalonians 1-5
Contemporary English Version
1 Thessalonians 1-5
Contemporary English Version
1 (A) From Paul, Silas,[a] and Timothy.
To the church in Thessalonica, the people of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray that God will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!
2 We thank God for you and always mention you in our prayers. Each time we pray, 3 we tell God our Father about your faith and loving work and about your firm hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Thessalonians' Faith and Example
4 My dear friends, God loves you, and we know he has chosen you to be his people. 5 When we told you the good news, it was with the power and assurance that come from the Holy Spirit, and not simply with words. You knew what kind of people we were and how we helped you. 6 (B) So, when you accepted the message, you followed our example and the example of the Lord. You suffered, but the Holy Spirit made you glad.
7 You became an example for all the Lord's followers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 And because of you, the Lord's message has spread everywhere in those regions. Now the news of your faith in God is known all over the world, and we don't have to say a thing about it. 9 Everyone is talking about how you welcomed us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God. 10 They also tell how you are waiting for his Son Jesus to come from heaven. God raised him from death, and on the day of judgment Jesus will save us from God's anger.
Paul's Work in Thessalonica
2 My friends, you know our time with you wasn't wasted. 2 (C) As you remember, we had been mistreated and insulted at Philippi. But God gave us the courage to tell you the good news about him, even though many people caused us trouble. 3 We didn't have any hidden motives when we won you over, and we didn't try to fool or trick anyone. 4 God was pleased to trust us with his message. We didn't speak to please people, but to please God who knows our motives.
5 You also know we didn't try to flatter anyone. God himself knows what we did wasn't a cover-up for greed. 6 We were not trying to get you or anyone else to praise us. 7 But as apostles, we could have demanded help from you. After all, Christ is the one who sent us. We chose to be like children or like a mother[b] nursing her baby. 8 We cared so much for you, and you became so dear to us, that we were willing to give our lives for you when we gave you God's message.
9 My dear friends, you surely haven't forgotten our hard work and hardships. You remember how night and day we struggled to make a living, so we could tell you God's message without being a burden to anyone. 10 Both you and God are witnesses that we were pure and honest and innocent in our dealings with you followers of the Lord. 11 You also know we did everything for you that parents would do for their own children. 12 We begged, encouraged, and urged each of you to live in a way that would honor God. He is the one who chose you to share in his own kingdom and glory.
13 We always thank God that you believed the message we preached. It came from him, and it isn't something made up by humans. You accepted it as God's message, and now he is working in you. 14 (D) My friends, you did just like God's churches in Judea and like the other followers of Christ Jesus there. And so, you were mistreated by your own people, in the same way they were mistreated by their people.
15 (E) Those evil people killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and they even chased us away. God doesn't like what they do and neither does anyone else. 16 They keep us from speaking his message to the Gentiles and from leading them to be saved. They have always gone too far with their sins. Now God has finally become angry and will punish them.
Paul Wants To Visit the Church Again
17 My friends, we were kept from coming to you for a while, but we never stopped thinking about you. We were eager to see you and tried our best to visit you in person. 18 We really wanted to come. I myself tried several times, but Satan always stopped us. 19 After all, when the Lord Jesus appears, who else but you will give us hope and joy and be like a glorious crown for us? 20 You alone are our glory and joy!
3 (F) Finally, we couldn't stand it any longer. We decided to stay in Athens by ourselves 2 and send our friend Timothy to you. He works with us as God's servant and preaches the good news about Christ. We wanted him to make you strong in your faith and to encourage you. 3 We didn't want any of you to be discouraged by all these troubles. You knew we would have to suffer, 4 because when we were with you, we told you this would happen. And we did suffer, as you well know. 5 At last, when I could not wait any longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I hoped Satan had not tempted you and made all our work useless.
6 (G) Timothy has now come back from his visit with you and has told us about your faith and love. He also said that you always have happy memories of us and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.
7 My friends, even though we have a lot of trouble and suffering, your faith makes us feel better about you. 8 Your strong faith in the Lord is like a breath of new life. 9 How can we possibly thank God enough for all the happiness you have brought us? 10 Day and night we sincerely pray that we will see you again and help you to have an even stronger faith.
11 We pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus will let us visit you. 12 May the Lord make your love for each other and for everyone else grow by leaps and bounds. This is how our love for you has grown. 13 And when our Lord comes with all his people, I pray he will make your hearts pure and innocent in the sight of God the Father.
A Life That Pleases God
4 Finally, my dear friends, since you belong to the Lord Jesus, we beg and urge you to live as we taught you. Then you will please God. You are already living that way, but try even harder. 2 Remember the instructions we gave you as followers of the Lord Jesus. 3 God wants you to be holy, so don't be immoral in matters of sex. 4 Respect and honor your wife.[c] 5 Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God. 6 You must not cheat any of the Lord's followers in matters of sex.[d] Remember, we warned you that he punishes everyone who does such things. 7 God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure. 8 So if you don't obey these rules, you are not really disobeying us. Instead, you are disobeying God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 We don't have to write you about the need to love each other. God has taught you to do this, 10 and you already have shown your love for all his people in Macedonia. But, my dear friends, we ask you to do even more. 11 Try your best to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work hard, just as we taught you to do. 12 (H) Then you will be respected by people who are not followers of the Lord, and you won't have to depend on anyone.
The Lord's Coming
13 My friends, we want you to understand how it will be for those followers who have already died. Then you won't grieve over them and be like people who don't have any hope. 14 We believe Jesus died and was raised to life. We also believe that when God brings Jesus back again, he will bring with him all who had faith in Jesus before they died. 15 (I)(J) Our Lord Jesus told us that when he comes, we won't go up to meet him ahead of his followers who have already died.
16 (K) With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God's trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. 17 Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. From that time on we will all be with the Lord forever. 18 Encourage each other with these words.
5 I don't need to write you about the time or date when all this will happen. 2 (L) You surely know that the Lord's return[e] will be as a thief coming at night. 3 People will think they are safe and secure. But destruction will suddenly strike them like the pains of a woman about to give birth. And they won't escape.
4 My dear friends, you don't live in darkness, and so that day won't surprise you like a thief. 5 You belong to the light and live in the day. We don't live in the night or belong to the dark. 6 Others may sleep, but we should stay awake and be alert. 7 People sleep during the night, and some even get drunk. 8 (M) But we belong to the day. So we must stay sober and let our faith and love be like a suit of armor. Our firm hope that we will be saved is our helmet.
9 God doesn't intend to punish us, but wants us to be saved by our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 Christ died for us, so we could live with him, whether we are alive or dead when he comes. 11 This is why you must encourage and help each other, just as you are already doing.
Final Instructions and Greetings
12 My friends, we ask you to be thoughtful of your leaders who work hard and tell you how to live for the Lord. 13 Show them great respect and love because of their work. Try to get along with each other. 14 My friends, we beg you to warn anyone who isn't living right. Encourage anyone who feels left out, help all who are weak, and be patient with everyone. 15 Don't be hateful to people, just because they are hateful to you. Rather, be good to each other and to everyone else.
16 Always be joyful 17 and never stop praying. 18 Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.
19 Don't turn away God's Spirit 20 or ignore prophecies. 21 Put everything to the test. Accept what is good 22 and don't have anything to do with evil.
23 I pray that God, who gives peace, will make you completely holy. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy and faultless until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 24 The one who chose you can be trusted, and he will do this.
25 Friends, please pray for us.
26 Give the Lord's followers a warm greeting.
27 In the name of the Lord I beg you to read this letter to all his followers.
28 I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you!
Footnotes
1 Thessalonians 1-5
New International Version
1 Thessalonians 1-5
New International Version
1 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
2 We always thank God for all of you(E) and continually mention you in our prayers.(F) 3 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.
4 For we know, brothers and sisters[b] loved by God,(K) that he has chosen you, 5 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. 6 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) 7 And so you became a model(S) to all the believers in Macedonia(T) and Achaia.(U) 8 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, 9 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)
Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica
2 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you(AD) was not without results.(AE) 2 We had previously suffered(AF) and been treated outrageously in Philippi,(AG) as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.(AH) 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,(AI) nor are we trying to trick you.(AJ) 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.(AK) We are not trying to please people(AL) but God, who tests our hearts.(AM) 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed(AN)—God is our witness.(AO) 6 We were not looking for praise from people,(AP) not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles(AQ) of Christ we could have asserted our authority.(AR) 7 Instead, we were like young children[c] among you.
Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,(AS) 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God(AT) but our lives as well.(AU) 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked(AV) night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone(AW) while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses,(AX) and so is God,(AY) of how holy,(AZ) righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,(BA) 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy(BB) of God, who calls(BC) you into his kingdom and glory.
13 And we also thank God continually(BD) because, when you received the word of God,(BE) which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators(BF) of God’s churches in Judea,(BG) which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people(BH) the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus(BI) and the prophets(BJ) and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles(BK) so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit.(BL) The wrath of God has come upon them at last.[d]
Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians
17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought),(BM) out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.(BN) 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan(BO) blocked our way.(BP) 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown(BQ) in which we will glory(BR) in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?(BS) Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory(BT) and joy.
3 So when we could stand it no longer,(BU) we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.(BV) 2 We sent Timothy,(BW) who is our brother and co-worker(BX) in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ,(BY) to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.(BZ) For you know quite well that we are destined for them.(CA) 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.(CB) 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer,(CC) I sent to find out about your faith.(CD) I was afraid that in some way the tempter(CE) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.(CF)
Timothy’s Encouraging Report
6 But Timothy(CG) has just now come to us from you(CH) and has brought good news about your faith and love.(CI) 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.(CJ) 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm(CK) in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you(CL) in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?(CM) 10 Night and day we pray(CN) most earnestly that we may see you again(CO) and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father(CP) himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other(CQ) and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless(CR) and holy in the presence of our God and Father(CS) when our Lord Jesus comes(CT) with all his holy ones.(CU)
Living to Please God
4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,(CV) we instructed you how to live(CW) in order to please God,(CX) as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 It is God’s will(CY) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;(CZ) 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[e](DA) in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust(DB) like the pagans,(DC) who do not know God;(DD) 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.[f](DE) The Lord will punish(DF) all those who commit such sins,(DG) as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.(DH) 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.(DI)
9 Now about your love for one another(DJ) we do not need to write to you,(DK) for you yourselves have been taught by God(DL) to love each other.(DM) 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.(DN) Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,(DO) 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,(DP) just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders(DQ) and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Believers Who Have Died
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed(DR) about those who sleep in death,(DS) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.(DT) 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,(DU) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.(DV) 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,(DW) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.(DX) 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,(DY) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel(DZ) and with the trumpet call of God,(EA) and the dead in Christ will rise first.(EB) 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left(EC) will be caught up together with them in the clouds(ED) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord(EE) forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another(EF) with these words.
The Day of the Lord
5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates(EG) we do not need to write to you,(EH) 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord(EI) will come like a thief in the night.(EJ) 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”(EK) destruction will come on them suddenly,(EL) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.(EM)
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness(EN) so that this day should surprise you like a thief.(EO) 5 You are all children of the light(EP) and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep,(EQ) but let us be awake(ER) and sober.(ES) 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.(ET) 8 But since we belong to the day,(EU) let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate,(EV) and the hope of salvation(EW) as a helmet.(EX) 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath(EY) but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.(EZ) 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.(FA) 11 Therefore encourage one another(FB) and build each other up,(FC) just as in fact you are doing.
Final Instructions
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard(FD) among you, who care for you in the Lord(FE) and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.(FF) 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle(FG) and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak,(FH) be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,(FI) but always strive to do what is good for each other(FJ) and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always,(FK) 17 pray continually,(FL) 18 give thanks in all circumstances;(FM) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.(FN) 20 Do not treat prophecies(FO) with contempt 21 but test them all;(FP) hold on to what is good,(FQ) 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace,(FR) sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul(FS) and body be kept blameless(FT) at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.(FU) 24 The one who calls(FV) you is faithful,(FW) and he will do it.(FX)
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.(FY) 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.(FZ) 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.(GA)
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.(GB)
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
- 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.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts were gentle
- 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or them fully
- 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or learn to live with your own wife; or learn to acquire a wife
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.
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