Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because
that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all
toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the
churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and
tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous
judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for
which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense
tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with
us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty
angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that
obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of
his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired
in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in
that day. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count
you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and
the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be
glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or
be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that
the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that
day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin
be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above
all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when
I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what
withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity
doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of
the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of
his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all
power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of
the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned
who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of
the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he
called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have
been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ
himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us
everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts,
and stablish you in every good word and work.
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course,
and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from
unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is
faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. And we have
confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things
which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God,
and into the patient waiting for Christ.
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not
after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought
to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did
we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night
and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have
not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For
even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not
work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk
among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that
are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with
quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary
in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that
man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count
him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now the Lord of peace
himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every
epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.