¹Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the called ones among the Thessalonians who are in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus the Anointed:May you have peace and [God’s] loving care!²We always thank God when we mention you in our prayers, ³because we never forget your faithful work, loving labors, and endurance... That [all] comes from [your] confidence in our Lord Jesus the Anointed, [who stands] before our God and Father.⁴We know that He chose you, our brothers who are loved by God, ⁵because the good news that we’re preaching didn’t become just words to you, but power, Holy Breath, and a strong conviction, since you recognized what sort of men we became to you for your sakes.⁶Then you started acting like us, and like the Lord, because you accepted the word in the joy of [God’s] Holy Breath despite many difficulties, ⁷and you became [good] examples to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.⁸For you’ve preached the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has been spread everywhere!So we don’t have to say anything more, ⁹since everyone is talking about the way we first came to you and of how you turned away from idols, then [turned towards] The God…Yes, to slave for a God who is living and true!¹⁰And [they also speak about how you’re] awaiting His Son from the heavens that He raised from the dead… This Jesus, who’s drawn us to himself and away from the coming wrath.

¹Brothers, you know that our visit with you hasn’t been without results. ²For although we’d just suffered and been mistreated in Philippi (as you well know), our God gave us the boldness to speak to you about the good news of our God (although with a lot of difficulty) ³because the encouragement we give doesn’t come from errors, uncleanness, or deceit.⁴And since God has inspected us [and found us] fit to be entrusted with the good news, we don’t speak just to please men, but [to please] God, who inspects what’s in our hearts.⁵So, with God as Witness (and as you well know), we didn’t come to you with flattering words or pretending to be in need of anything, ⁶nor have we sought glory from men… No, neither from you, nor from anyone else (although as Apostles of the Anointed One, we could have been [justified in being] such a burden).⁷Instead, we came to you as gently as a mother who feeds and cares for her children!⁸And because we cared for you so much, we were not only happy to share the good news of God with you, but also our lives, since you’ve become so dear to us.⁹Brothers, surely you remember how we toiled and labored… How we worked hard night and day so we wouldn’t put an expensive burden on anyone, as we preached the good news about The God to you.¹⁰And both you and God are our witnesses as to how loyal, righteous, and free from blame we became to you believers.¹¹For each of you must recognize how we kept on encouraging you, consoling you, and testifying to you, just as a father does to his own children!¹²[We did this] so you’d keep on walking in a way that’s worthy of The God who’s calling you to His Kingdom and glory.¹³And we keep on thanking God, because, when you accepted the word of The God that you heard from us, you didn’t accept it as the word of men, but just as it truthfully is… The word of God – which is at work in you believers!¹⁴Yes, you became our imitators and our brothers – in the same way as those who were called by The God in Judea and are in the Anointed Jesus, because you started suffering at the hands of your own countrymen, just as the [Called Ones] did at the hands of the Judeans ¹⁵who killed the Lord Jesus and the Prophets, and who persecuted us.These men aren’t pleasing to God, for they’re [really] opposing all humanity ¹⁶by trying to keep us from speaking to the gentiles so that we can save them.As a result, they’re always filled to the brim with their sins, and they’ll receive His full wrath.¹⁷As for us, brothers:We’re forced to be separated from you for a short while… In body, but not in our hearts, and we anxiously desire to see your faces.¹⁸That’s why I wanted to come to you (yes me, Paul) on two different occasions. However, the Opposer kept on cutting us off.¹⁹When our Lord Jesus arrives and we’re standing before him, why would we have any hope, or joy, or a winner’s garland to boast over, if not for you?²⁰Because you… Yes, you are our glory and joy!

¹So when we couldn’t bear it any longer, we arranged to be sent to Athens alone. ²Then we sent Timothy – our brother and God’s servant in the good news about the Anointed One – to strengthen and comfort you in your faith, ³so that none of you would become discouraged by all these difficulties.However, you know that we were all appointed [to endure] things such as this!⁴Yes, when we were there with you, we warned you that we were about to suffer persecution (as you well know is now happening).⁵And it’s because I just couldn’t stand [not knowing how you were faring] that I sent [Timothy] to see how your faith [is bearing up], and whether the Tempter has put you to the test and brought all of our hard work to nothing.⁶But now that Timothy has returned from you, he’s brought us the good news about your faithfulness and love; and [he’s told us] how you keep us in your fond memories and of how you’re always longing to see us, just as we’re [longing to see] you.⁷That’s why, brothers, despite all our own needs and difficulties, we find comfort in you and in the faith that you’re showing.⁸Because, if you’re standing firm in the Lord, then we’re living [happily]!⁹So, what sort of thanks can we offer to God for you in return for all the joy we now have because of you before our God?¹⁰Therefore, we’ll keep on begging night and day to see your faces and to correct anything that may be lacking in your faith.¹¹Now, may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus straighten our road to you.¹²May the Lord cause you to grow and to have more than enough love for each other and for all, just as we have for you.¹³And may he make your hearts firm in holiness, without any blame before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus appears with all of his Holy Ones…May it be so!

¹Finally brothers:We ask and urge you by the Lord Jesus to follow the path of what you learned from us, and to keep on pleasing God.Although you’re already doing this, you must do it even more so!²For you’re aware of these orders that we gave to you through the Lord Jesus:³‘It is God’s Will [for you] to be holy and to stay free from sexual immorality.’⁴So you must each learn how to take control of yourselves in holiness and honor… ⁵Not in passionate desires like those of the nations who don’t know God!⁶Nobody should overstep the limits or take advantage of his brother in this matter, for the Lord is the avenger in all of such things, just as we warned you before and explained completely…⁷God didn’t call us to uncleanness, but to holiness!⁸So, those of you who [may choose to] disregard this [warning] aren’t disregarding a man, but The God who put His Holy Breath in you.⁹Yet, when it comes to the matter of brotherly love, there’s no need for us to write you, because God has taught you to love each other, ¹⁰and you’re showing this to all the brothers throughout Macedonia...Nevertheless, we’re now urging you brothers to become even better at it!¹¹Also:Pledge yourselves to living quietly, to minding your own business, and to working for a living (just as we’ve instructed you to do), ¹²so that you’ll always be acting in an appropriate way towards those on the outside, and so that you won’t ever be in need of anything.¹³Brothers, we want you to understand the situation of those who are sleeping [in death], so you aren’t saddened like those who don’t have any hope.¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and was resurrected, we must also believe that The God will (through Jesus) lead back those who’ve fallen asleep.¹⁵Understand that what we’re saying to you is the word of the Lord… That those who are still living at the appearance of the Lord will definitely not go ahead of those who’ve fallen asleep.¹⁶Because the Lord himself will come down from the sky and give the command in the voice of the highest messenger [of God] and with God’s trumpet...Then those who’ve died in the Anointed One will be the first to be resurrected.¹⁷And after that, the living (those of us who are still left at that time) will be snatched into the clouds along with them for a meeting with the Lord in the air…And thereafter, we’ll always be with the Lord.¹⁸Keep comforting each other with these words!

¹Now, when it comes to the times and seasons brothers, nothing needs to be written to you, ²because you know very well that the Lord’s Day is coming [unexpectedly] like a thief does at night... ³while they’re speaking of well-being and tranquility.^[Syr]And then ruin will come upon them – like [the inevitability of] labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they won’t escape.⁴Therefore brothers; since you aren’t in the dark, don’t let that Day [sneak up] on you like a thief.⁵For you’re all sons of light and sons of the day… You don’t belong to the night or to darkness!⁶As a result, we shouldn’t be ‘falling asleep’ like all the rest. Instead, we should be staying awake and remaining sober!⁷For those who are sleeping, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.⁸But may those of us who belong to the day stay ‘sober,’ while we put on the breastplate of faith and love, and wear our hope of salvation like a helmet.⁹Because, The God didn’t destine us for His wrath, but for us to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus the Anointed One ¹⁰who died for us, so that whether we remain alert or we ‘fall asleep’ [in death], we’ll all live together with him.¹¹Keep on comforting each other with these words and continue to build each other up, just as you’re already doing!¹²Now, brothers:We’re asking you to give [special] recognition to those who are working so hard among you by taking the lead over you in the Lord and in counseling you.¹³Give them extraordinary loving consideration because of what they’re doing, and be at peace with each other!¹⁴We also urge you brothers to reprimand the disorderly, to comfort the depressed, to support the weak, and to be patient with everyone.¹⁵Also, make sure that no one is trying to get even with anyone else over bad things... Keep on searching for the best interests of each other and for all the rest.¹⁶Keep on rejoicing!¹⁷Pray constantly!¹⁸And give thanks for everything, because this is God’s will for you in the Anointed Jesus!¹⁹Also, don’t put out the fire of [God’s] Breath ²⁰or ignore the prophecies, ²¹and prove everything…
Then hang onto whatever is good ²²and avoid anything that appears to be wicked!²³May the God of peace make you completely holy and sound in every way – preserve your breath, inner person, and body as blameless, [ready] for when our Lord Jesus the Anointed One arrives.²⁴For the One who’s calling you is faithful, and He’ll make it happen!²⁵Brothers,Continue to pray for us, ²⁶and keep on greeting all the brothers with a holy kiss.²⁷Now, I’m putting you under oath in the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers.²⁸May the loving care of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One be with all of you.May it be so.