1 Thessalonians.
<
1 Thessalonians
KWL.
>
1 Thessalonians 1.
1 Paul and Silas and Timothy, to the Thessalonian church,
in Father God and Master Christ Jesus: Greetings. Shalom.
2 We praise God for all of you, always. We can’t forget your prayers.
3 We remember, before God our Father, your faith-works, your love-labors,
your enduring hope in our master, Christ Jesus.
4 We’ve known you’re brother Christians, whom God loves;
you’ve been selected 5 because our gospel didn’t come to you in only words,
but in power, in the Holy Spirit, and in absolute certainty—
just like we demonstrated to you when you saw us among you.
6 You became imitators of both us and the Master,
accepting the message in great persecution, yet joy of the Holy Spirit.
7 Hence you became an example to all the believers in Macedon and Achaia:
8 The Master’s message has echoed out from you, not only into Macedon and Achaia,
but your faith in God has gone out everywhere. Hence we’ve no need to speak of it,
9 for they give us the news about what sort of reception we had from you,
and how you turned to God—from idols you slaved for, to a living, genuine God—
10 and expect his Son, whom he raised from the dead, appearing in the skies,
Jesus, our rescuer from the coming fury.
1 Thessalonians 2.
1 Christians, you yourselves know our coming to you wasn’t for nothing.
2 But as you know, we were suffering and assaulted in Philippi.
We preached boldly of our God, speaking God’s gospel to you in the great arena.
3 For our convenience—not because we were nuts, nor were unclean, nor meant to bait you,
4 but like those who’d been tested by God, who trust the gospel.
That’s how we spoke: Not like people-pleasers, but people with God-approved hearts.
5 As you all know, we never once came with a flattering message.
Nor, God knows, a greedy motive. 6 Nor looking for esteem from people—neither you nor anyone else.
7 As Christ’s apostles, we could be a burden.
But we became children among you—like when a nurse cuddles her own babies—so we’d want you.
8 We were happy to share not only God’s gospel with you,
but our souls as well, because we fell in love with you.
9 Christians, you remember our trouble and toil,
working night and day so we wouldn’t financially burden you. We proclaimed God’s gospel to you all.
10 You witnessed, with God, how sacredly, fairly, and non-judgmentally we behaved towards you believers, as you all know.
11 Like every one of you, like a father to his own child,
12 we were asking you, encouraging, and testifying,
all so you’d rightly walk with God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 We also unceasingly give thanks to God for this reason:
Accepting the message you heard from us—from God;
you didn’t receive a human message.
For in reality it’s God’s message, and it generates belief among you.
14 For you Christians became imitators of God’s church, in Christ Jesus,
which is in Judea: You suffered the same; you got it from your fellow citizens,
just like they got it from the Judeans.
15 They also killed Master Jesus and the prophets,
and drove us away, and won’t make right with God;
they oppose all humanity 16 by forbidding us from speaking to gentiles so they could be saved.
In so doing, they’ve sealed the deal: At the End, wrath awaits them.
17 We were separated from you for a bit of time, Christians;
from your faces, not your hearts.
18 We eagerly tried all the more to see your faces,
with great desire because we wanted to come to you.
(I, Paul, tried once or twice.) Satan blocked us.
19 Who’s our hope, joy, crowning pride, if not you?—
when we’re standing before our Master Jesus at his second coming?
20 You’re our glory and joy.
1 Thessalonians 3.
1 So, unable to contain ourselves only in Athens, we were pleased to leave.
2 We sent Timothy, our brother, God’s coworker in Christ’s gospel, to strengthen you,
help your faith grow more, 3 till nothing in the tribulation disturbs it.
You already knew we’d be prepared for it:
4 While we were with you, we foretold you, “We’re about to be crushed.”
And just as we said, it happened.
5 (This is why I, unable to contain myself, sent someone to find out about your faith,
lest somehow the tempter tempted you, and all our trouble became worthless.)
6 Now Timothy, who returned to us from you, proclaimed the good news of your faith and love to us:
You always remember our good works, and yearn to see us, just as we you.
7 We’re comforted by this, Christians—by you,
because of your faith, despite our every restraint and tribulation.
8 Because now, when you stand firm in the Lord, we can live.
9 What thanksgiving can we give God for you for all this joy?
10 We rejoiced to our God because of you, night and day,
way beyond prayer requests, to see your faces, to fix what’s lacking in your faith.
11 Our Father God himself, and our Master Jesus, hopefully kept our path straight for you.
12 Hopefully the Master provided more than enough, and went over and above, for you—
in love for one another and everyone, just like we have for you;
13 in strengthening your blameless hearts with holiness before our Father God—
namely at the second coming of our Master Jesus with all his saints. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 4.
1 From now on, Christians, we ask you—we encourage you by Master Jesus—
whatever you got from us on how you have to walk and please God—
however you walk—do abundantly more of it.
2 You know; whatever commands we gave you through Master Jesus.
3 This is God’s will: Your holiness. Your keeping away from porn.
4 Each of you knowing how to possess your own things in holiness and honor—
5 not out of impulsive desires, like gentiles who don’t know God.
6 None are to overstep nor take advantage of their fellow Christian in any way—
because the Master avenges everything, just like we foretold to you, and testified regularly about.
7 God didn’t call us to uncleanness, but holiness.
8 This is why the resistant aren’t resisting humans, but God, who gave you all his Holy Spirit.
9 There’s nothing we need write you about brotherly love,
for the divine teachings you have are obvious in the way you love one another,
10 for you do it with every fellow Christian, all over southern Greece.
Christians, we encourage you to go above and beyond—
11 to pursue people’s respect, to stay out of trouble,
to do your own thing, to work with your own hands, like we commanded you
12 so you would walk honestly with outsiders, and no one would be in need.
13 Christians, we don’t want you to know nothing about those who are “sleeping”:
You ought not grieve like all the others who have no hope,
14 for if we believe Jesus died and rose,
likewise God, through Jesus, will bring our “sleepers” with him.
15 We tell you this message from the Master.
We who are still alive at the Master’s second coming don’t go ahead of those who’ve died.
16 With a commanding shout, with the head angel’s voice, with God’s trumpet,
the Master himself will come down from heaven.
The Christian dead will be resurrected first.
17 Then, we who are left, who are still alive,
will be raptured together with them into the clouds,
to meet the Master in the air.
Thus, we’ll be with the Master—always.
18 So encourage one another with these words!
1 Thessalonians 5.
1 As for the timing, Christians: There’s no need to write you,
2 for you’ve known precisely that the Lord’s Day comes like a mugger at night.
3 Whenever people say, “Peace and safety!” then disaster suddenly comes upon them—
like having contractions in the womb—and they may never get away.
4 Don’t be in the dark, Christians, or the day may jump you like a mugger.
5 You’re all children of light, and children of the Day.
Don’t be night; don’t be dark; 6 we shouldn’t sleep like the others.
We should be awake—and sober. 7 Sleepers sleep at night.
Drunkards get drunk at night. 8 We of the Day should be sober.
Wearing faith and love’s chest armor, and the hope of salvation’s helmet:
9 God didn’t assign us to wrath, but the safekeeping of salvation in Master Christ Jesus.
10 He died for us, so that, awake or asleep, we ought to be with him together!
11 So—like you already are—comfort and build one another up.
12 Christians, we ask you to think about those among you who work hard,
who stand up for you before the Master, who set you straight—
13 and because of the work they do, to outpace them in love. Keep peace with one another.
14 Christians, we encourage you to set the irreligious straight:
Share your testimonies with newbies. Hold onto the weak. Be patient with everyone.
15 Watch out lest anyone pay back evil for evil.
Instead, always pursue good for one another, and everyone.
16 Always rejoice. 17 Pray without slacking.
18 Give thanks for everything. For this is God’s will, in Christ Jesus, for you all.
19 Don’t quiet the Spirit: 20 Don’t dismiss prophecy, 21 and put everything to the test.
Hold tight to what’s good. 22 Stay far away from what seems bad.
23 May God peacefully, fully, and blamelessly make all of you holy,
sound in spirit, life, and body.
May he watch over you till the coming of our Master, Christ Jesus.
24 His call upon you, which he’ll do, is trustworthy.
25 Christians, pray for us. 26 Greet every Christian with a holy kiss.
27 By the Master, promise us to read every letter to the Christians.
28 The grace of our Master, Christ Jesus, to you all.