1 Thessalonians 1

1 Paul, Silas, and Timothy: To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be granted to you.

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 We continually give thanks to God because of you all, while we make mention of you in our prayers.

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

3 For we never fail to remember your works of faith and labours of love and your persistent and unwavering hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and 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 as we do, brethren, that you are beloved by God and that He has chosen you.

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

5 The Good News that we brought you did not come to you in words only, but also with power and with the Holy Spirit and with much certainty, for you know the sort of men we became among you, as examples 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 followed the pattern set you by us and by the Master, after you had received the Message amid severe persecution, and yet with the joy which the Holy Spirit gives,

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 became a pattern to all the believers throughout Macedonia and Greece.

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

8 For it was not only from you that the Master's Message sounded forth throughout Macedonia and Greece; but everywhere your faith in God has become known, so that it is unnecessary for us to say anything about it.

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 when others speak of us they report the reception we had from you, and how you turned from your idols to God, to be bondservants of the true and ever-living 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 await the return from Heaven of His Son, whom He raised from among the dead--even Jesus, our Deliverer from God's coming anger.

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