Giving Thanks for These Believers

(A)Paul, (B)Silvanus, and (C)Timothy,

To the (D)church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: (E)Grace to you and peace.

(F)We always give thanks to God for all of you, (G)making mention of you in our prayers; constantly keeping in mind your (H)work of faith and labor of (I)love and [a](J)perseverance of hope [b]in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of (K)our God and Father, knowing, (L)brothers and sisters, beloved by God, (M)His choice of you; for our (N)gospel did not come to you in word only, but also (O)in power and in the Holy Spirit and with (P)full conviction; just as you know (Q)what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sakes. You also became (R)imitators of us and of the Lord, (S)having received (T)the word during great affliction with the (U)joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in (V)Macedonia and (W)Achaia. For (X)the word of the Lord has (Y)sounded forth from you, not only in (Z)Macedonia and (AA)Achaia, but (AB)in every place the news of your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us [c]as to the kind of (AC)reception we had with you, and how you (AD)turned to God (AE)from [d]idols to serve [e](AF)a living and true God, 10 and to (AG)wait for His Son from [f]heaven, whom He (AH)raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who (AI)rescues us from (AJ)the wrath to come.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Or steadfastness
  2. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Lit of
  3. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 Lit what kind of
  4. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 Or the idols
  5. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 Or the
  6. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 Lit the heavens

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

We always thank God for all of you(E) and continually mention you in our prayers.(F) 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.

For we know, brothers and sisters[b] loved by God,(K) that he has chosen you, 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. 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) And so you became a model(S) to all the believers in Macedonia(T) and Achaia.(U) 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, 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)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
  2. 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.