to you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? [1] 20 For ye are our glory and joy.
CHAP. 3.
Therefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
2 And sent Timothy, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow-labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed to this. [2]
4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter may have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
6 But now when Timothy came from you to 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:
7 Therefore, brethren, by your faith we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress:
8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God;
10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. [3]
12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
13 To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. [4]
CHAP. 4.
Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received from us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. [5] [6]
2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from immorality:
4 That each one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5 Not in the lust of passion, even as the Gentiles who know not God:
6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. [7] [8]
7 For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.
8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given to us his Holy Spirit. [9]
9 But concerning brotherly love ye need not that I write to you: for ye yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are outside the church, and that ye may have need of nothing. [10]
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them who are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord shall not precede them who are asleep. [11]
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. [12]
CHAP. 5.
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write to you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh
- ↑ rejoicing: or, glorying?
- ↑ there unto: or, to sufferings, or, to persecution
- ↑ direct: or, guide
- ↑ saints: or, holy ones, or, angels
- ↑ beseech: or, request
- ↑ exhort: or, beseech
- ↑ defraud: or, oppress, or, overreach
- ↑ in...: or, in the matter
- ↑ despiseth: or, rejecteth
- ↑ of...: or, of no man
- ↑ prevent: or, come before, or, anticipate, or, precede
- ↑ comfort: or, exhort
