1 Thessalonians 1

1 Paul and Sylvanus and Timothy: to the church of the Thessalonians, in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

To the Thessalonian Church in union with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. May God bless you and give you peace.

2 Grace be to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for you all; making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing,

We always mention you in our prayers and thank God for you all;

3 Being mindful of the work of your faith, and labour, and charity, and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father:

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.

4 Knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election:

Brothers, whom God loves, we know that he has chosen you,

5 For our gospel hath not been unto you in word only, but in power also, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much fulness, as you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes.

because the Good News that we brought came home to you, not merely as so many words, but with a power and a fulness of conviction due to the Holy Spirit. For you know the life that we lived among you for your good.

6 And you became followers of us, and of the Lord; receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

And you yourselves began to follow, not only our example, but the Master’s also; and, in spite of much suffering, you welcomed the Message with a joy inspired by the Holy Spirit,

7 So that you were made a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.

and so became a pattern to all who believed in Christ throughout Macedonia and Greece.

8 For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia, and in Achaia, but also in every place, your faith which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing.

For it was from you that the Lord’s Message resounded throughout Macedonia and Greece; and, more than that, your faith in God has become known far and wide; so that there is no need for us to say another word.

9 For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God.

Indeed, in speaking about us, the people themselves tell of the reception you gave us, and how, turning to God from your idols, you became servants of the true and living God,

10 And to wait for his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead, ) Jesus, who hath delivered us from the wrath to come.

and are now awaiting the return from Heaven of his Son whom he raised from the dead — Jesus, our deliverer from the Coming Wrath.