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Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith
We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.
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We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
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The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,
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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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You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.
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You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
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And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, 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.
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For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?
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We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
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For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.
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Timothy’s Encouraging Report
But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. 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.
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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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Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
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It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
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that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
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But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
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Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
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give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
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but test them all; hold on to what is good,
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The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
