Recalling continually before our God and Father the efforts that have resulted from your faith, the toil prompted by your love, and the patient endurance sustained by your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Being conscious, my brothers, dear to God, that you have been marked out by God's purpose;

because our good news did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, even as ye have known of what sort we became among you because of you,

So that you became an example to all those who have faith in Christ in Macedonia and Achaia.

for the word of the Lord sounded out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith which is towards God has gone abroad, so that we have no need to say anything;

For they themselves proclaim of us what entrance we have to you, and how ye turned to God from images to serve the living and true God;

For yourselves have known, brethren, our entrance in unto you, that it did not become vain,

but having both suffered before, and having been injuriously treated (as ye have known) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the good news of God in much conflict,

but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts.

For we have not at any time been among you with flattering discourse, even as ye know, nor with a pretext for covetousness, God is witness;

Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

but have been gentle in the midst of you, as a nurse would cherish her own children.

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, not to be chargeable to any one of you, we have preached to you the glad tidings of God.

Ye are witnesses, and God, how piously and righteously and blamelessly we have conducted ourselves with you that believe:

even as ye have known, how each one of you, as a father his own children, we are exhorting you, and comforting, and testifying,

And for this cause we still give praise to God, that, when the word came to your ears through us, you took it, not as the word of man, but, as it truly is, the word of God, which has living power in you who have faith.

For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

as they try to keep us from telling the gentiles how they can be saved. As a result, they are constantly adding to the number of sins they have committed. However, wrath has overtaken them at last!

But we, brethren, having been bereaved of you and separated for a little moment in person, not in heart, have used more abundant diligence to see your face with much desire;

Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

For what hope or joy will be ours, or what crown shall we have to boast of, in the presence of our Lord Jesus, at his Coming, if it be not you?

At last our desire to have news of you was so strong that, while we ourselves were waiting at Athens,

that no one be moved in these tribulations, for yourselves have known that for this we are set,

for even when we were with you, we said to you beforehand, that we are about to suffer tribulation, as also it did come to pass, and ye have known it;

For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:

for this reason we have been comforted in you, brethren, in all our distress and tribulation, through your faith,

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we have in God's presence because of you?

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

for ye have known what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus,

that each one should know how to have his wife in purity and honor,

not [to be used] in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God and are ignorant of His will;

That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;

and that you make it your study to live peaceably, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we have enjoined you;

That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus has died and has risen again, so also God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

(For this we say to you in the word of the Lord, that we, the living, who remain to the coming of the Lord, are in no way to anticipate those who have fallen asleep;

For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Therefore, comfort one another with what I have told you.

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

for yourselves have known thoroughly that the day of the Lord as a thief in the night doth so come,

For you all are 'Sons of Light' and 'Sons of the Day.' We have nothing to do with night, or darkness.

Who was put to death for us, so that, awake or sleeping, we may have a part in his life.

So then, go on comforting and building up one another, as you have been doing.

But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction,

And have a high opinion of them in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

We desire you brethren warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, forbear the weak, have continual patience toward all men.

Have joy at all times.

God, by whom you have been marked out in his purpose, is unchanging and will make it complete.

I solemnly charge you by the Lord to have this letter read before all the congregation.