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No Confidence in the Flesh
Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
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Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
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Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.
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Closing Appeal for Steadfastness and Unity
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
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Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
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Final Greetings
Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings.
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To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
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Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
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For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,
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Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica
You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results.
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Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
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For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews
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Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians
But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.
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Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.
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Living to Please God
As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
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And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,
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Believers Who Have Died
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
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The Day of the Lord
Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
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But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
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Final Instructions
Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
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And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
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Brothers and sisters, pray for us.
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I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.
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Thanksgiving and Prayer
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.
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The Man of Lawlessness
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,