1 Thessalonicher 1
1 Paulus und Silvanus und Timotheus an die Gemeinde der Thessaloniker in Gott dem Vater und dem Herrn Jesus Christus. Gnade euch und Friede.
[I], Paul, [am writing this letter]. Silas and Timothy [are with me]. [We(exc) are sending this letter] to [you who are] the congregation [of believers] in Thessalonica [city]. We [(inc)] all [worship] (OR, [trust in]) God [our] Father [MET] and [our] Lord Jesus Christ. [We three desire/pray that God, our Father, and Jesus Christ, our Lord, will continue to] act kindly toward you and [will continue to] cause you to have [inner] peace.
2 Wir danken Gott allezeit über euch alle, indem wir von euch reden in unseren Gebeten, da wir ohne Unterlaß
We always thank God for you all [when] we mention you while we pray (OR, [when] we pray [for you]).
3 gedenken eures Glaubenswerkes und eurer Liebesmühe, und eures Beharrens in der Hoffnung auf unseren Herrn Jesus Christus, angesichts unseres Gottes und Vaters.
[We thank God because] we continually remember that you work [for God because] you trust [in him] and you earnestly/energetically help people because you love them. You also endure [it when people cause you to suffer]. You endure it because you confidently expect that our Lord Jesus Christ [will soon return from heaven to rescue you]!
4 Kennen wir doch, von Gott geliebte Brüder, eure Erwählung,
My fellow believers whom God loves, we [also thank him because] we know that he chose you [to become his people].
5 da wir euch das Evangelium predigen durften, nicht mit Worten bloß, sondern mit Kraft und heiligem Geiste und großer Zuversicht (wisset ihr ja selbst, welcher Art wir uns unter euch gegeben haben um euretwillen)
We know that he chose you because [when] we told that message to you, we did not speak only words. The Holy Spirit [helped us to speak] powerfully/effectively, and he strongly assured [us that he was powerfully working in you by means of] the message [about Christ] that we [told to you. You yourselves know that], because you know how we spoke and how we conducted ourselves when we were with you, in order that [we might help] you.
6 und wie ihr in unsere und des Herrn Nachfolge getreten seid, und habt das Wort bei vieler Bedrängnis angenommen mit der Freudigkeit heiligen Geistes,
We also [know that God chose you] because we have now heard that you have endured your troubles when [people] caused you to suffer very much [because you believed in Christ]. You endured just like the Lord [Jesus Christ] endured, and just like we did [when people caused us to suffer]. At that time you were joyful because the Holy Spirit caused you to be joyful.
7 so daß ihr zum Vorbild wurdet für alle Gläubigen in Makedonia und Achaia.
As a result [of your joyfully enduring your troubles], all the believers who live in Macedonia and Achaia [provinces have heard how firmly you trust God. So they know that they should firmly trust in God] as you do.
8 Denn laut gieng von euch aus das Wort des Herrn nicht bloß in Makedonia und Achaia, sondern allerorten ist es ausgekommen, wie ihr an Gott glaubet, so daß wir nicht nötig haben, davon zu reden;
Other people have heard you tell the message [from] the Lord [Jesus]. Then they also have proclaimed the message to people who live throughout Macedonia and Achaia [provinces]. Not only that, but [people who live] in many far-away places [HYP] have heard that you trust in God. As a result, we do not need to tell people [what God has done in your lives].
9 die Leute erzählen selbst davon, wie wir bei euch Eingang gefunden, wie ihr euch bekehrt habt zu Gott von den Götzen, zu dienen dem lebendigen und wahrhaftigen Gott,
People [who live far from you are telling others what happened when we were with you]. They also report that you stopped [worshipping things that] ([you/your ancestors]) [considered to be] gods and now you worship God. [As a result], you serve the God who is all-powerful and who is the real God.
10 und zu erwarten seinen Sohn von den Himmeln, den er von den Toten erweckt hat, Jesus der uns errettet von dem Zorngericht, das da kommt.
They tell us that now you wait expectantly for his Son [to return to earth] from heaven. You firmly believe that God caused him to live again after he died. You believe also that Jesus will rescue [all of] us, [who trust in him], from [God’s] punishing us [MTY].
