Greeting

1 Paul, ^(A)Silvanus, and Timothy,

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

^(C)Grace to you and peace.

The Preeminence of Christ

^15 (A)He is the image of ^(B)the invisible God, ^(C)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by^[a] him all things were created, ^(D)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(E)thrones or ^(F)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(G)through him and for him. ¹⁷ And ^(H)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(I)hold together. ¹⁸ And ^(J)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(K)the beginning, ^(L)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

⁶ Then I heard what seemed to be ^(A)the voice of a great multitude, like ^(B)the roar of many waters and ^(C)like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

for the fine linen is ^(H)the righteous deeds of the saints.

⁹ And the angel said^[a] to me, “Write this: ^(I)Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, ^(J)“These are the true words of God.”

⁴ As you come to him, a living stone ^(A)rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ^5 (B)you yourselves like living stones are being built up as ^(C)a spiritual house, to be ^(D)a holy priesthood, ^(E)to offer spiritual sacrifices ^(F)acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For it stands in Scripture:

⁷ So the honor is for you who ^(I)believe, but for those who ^(J)do not believe,

⁸ and

They stumble because they disobey the word, ^(M)as they were destined to do.