1 Thessalonians

To the assembly of the Thessalonians in God the father and in the lord Yeshua the Anointed.

Grace to you⁼, and peace, from God our father and from the lord Yeshua the Anointed.

We always give thanks to God about all of you⁼, making remembrance of you⁼ in our prayers, incessantly recalling your⁼ work of faith, and your⁼ labour of love, and the perseverance of your⁼ expectation of our lord Yeshua the Anointed, before God our father, knowing, brothers loved by God, of his election of you⁼. Because our good news didn’t come to you⁼ only in the message, but also in power, and in the holy spirit, and in much assurance — just as you⁼ know how we were when we were among you⁼, because of you⁼.

And you⁼, you⁼ became imitators of us, and of the lord, welcoming the message amid much duress, with the joy of the holy spirit. So that you⁼ became models to all those who trust, in Macedonia, and in Achaia. For from you⁼ the message of the lord has been rung out, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but elsewhere. And in every place your⁼ faith towards God has gone out so that we had no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us, what kind of entrance we’ve had towards you⁼, and how you⁼ turned to God from idols, to serve as slaves to the living and true god, and to await his son from the heavens, whom he raised from the dead, Yeshua — the one who rescues us from the coming wrath.

2 For you⁼ yourselves know brothers, that our entrance to you⁼ wasn’t for nothing. But we had already suffered and had been maltreated, (just as you⁼ know), in Philippi. And we were bold in our god, to speak the good news of God to you⁼ among much opposition. For our consolation isn’t from going astray, nor from impurity, nor even in deceit, but just as we’ve been discerned by God to be trusted with the good news, so in the same way we speak not as if to please people, but to please God, the one who discerns our hearts. For neither did we ever come with a message of flattery, (just as you⁼ know), nor even in a pretext for greed, (as God is witness), nor even seeking glory from people, neither from you⁼ nor from others. We were able to be a burden, (since we’re ambassadors of the Anointed), but we became gentle in your midst, like a nursemaid comforting her children.

In the same way, longing for you⁼, we’re delighted to give you⁼ not only the good news of God, but also our very lives, because you’ve⁼ become beloved to us, for you⁼, brothers, recall our trouble and labour. For working night and day so that we wouldn’t overburden any of you⁼, we proclaimed the good news of God to you⁼. You’re⁼ witnesses, so is God, how piously, and righteously, and blamelessly, we behaved towards those of you⁼ who trusted. Even, as you⁼ know, how we entreated and exhorted each one of you⁼, like a father to his own children. And testifying, so that you⁼ walk worthily of God, the one who calls you⁼ into his own kingdom and glory.

Because of this we also give thanks to God incessantly, because having received the message of God by hearing from us, you⁼ accepted, not the message of people, but just as it really is, the message of God, who’s also working among you⁼ who trust. For you⁼, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea, in Anointed Yeshua, because you⁼ suffered the same things. You⁼ from your⁼ own fellow countrymen, just as they themselves from the Jews, who also killed the lord Yeshua, and their own prophets, and chased us away. And they don’t please God, and are opposed to all people, forbidding us to speak to the nations so that they might be saved, in order to always fill up their sins. But the wrath has overtaken them in the end.

And we, brothers, having been torn away from you⁼ for a little while, (in face, not in heart), we’re exceedingly eager with great desire to see your⁼ face. That’s why we wanted to come to you⁼. Indeed, I, Paulus, tried once, and then a second time, but Satan^a hindered us. For what’s our expectation, or joy, or victory wreath of boasting? Isn’t it you⁼, before our lord Yeshua the Anointed, at his arrival? For you⁼ are our glory and joy.

a) Satan is the Hebrew name for Diabolos and means “accuser”

3 That’s why, when we could stand it no longer, we were delighted to remain by ourselves in Athens, and we sent Timotheos, our brother, and servant of God, and our fellow-worker in the good news of the Anointed, in order to firmly establish you⁼, and to encourage you⁼ concerning your⁼ faith, so that nobody might waver in this duress, (for you⁼ yourselves know that we’ve been placed here for this). For even when we were with you⁼, we told you⁼ in advance that we were about to be pressured, just as you⁼ know it also came to be. Because of this, when I also could stand it no longer, I sent to perceive your⁼ faith, in case the one who tests had tested you⁼, and it turned out that our labour had been for nothing.

But now, Timotheos has come to us from you⁼, and he’s brought us good news of your⁼ faith and love, and that you⁼ have a good memory of us, always longing to see us, just as we also do you⁼. Through this we were comforted about you⁼ brothers, above all our duress and distress, because of your⁼ faith. Because now we live if you⁼ stand firm in the lord. For what thankfulness are we able to repay to God for you⁼, for all the joy which we have because of you⁼ before our god. Night and day, pleading exceedingly to see your⁼ faces, and to fully provide for the needs of your⁼ faith.

Now may God himself, our father, and our lord Yeshua the Anointed, align our path so we can come to you⁼. And may the lord make you⁼ abound and overabound in love to one another, and to everyone, even as we also do to you⁼, in order to firmly establish your⁼ hearts, blameless in holiness before God our father, and at the arrival of our lord Yeshua the Anointed with all his holy ones.

4 Finally then brothers, we ask you⁼ and entreat you⁼ in the lord Yeshua — just as you⁼ accepted from us how you⁼ must walk and please God — that you⁼ might overabound even more. For you⁼ know what commands we gave you⁼ through the lord Yeshua. For this is the will of God, your⁼ sanctification, that you⁼ keep away from fornication, that each of you⁼ know how to have ownership of their own vessel, in sanctification and in honour, not in the passion of desire like the nations who don’t know God, so that nobody should transgress and take advantage of his brother in this matter, because the lord^a [Yahweh] is an avenger concerning all these things, just as we also said to you⁼ before and testified to you⁼. For God didn’t call us for impurity, but in sanctification. Therefore the one who sets this aside, isn’t setting a person aside, but God, who gave his holy spirit to you⁼.

But concerning brotherly love, you’ve⁼ no need for me to write to you⁼, for you⁼ yourselves are God-taught to love one another, for you⁼ also do this to all the brothers in the whole of Macedonia. But we entreat you⁼ brothers, overabound even more. And be ambitious to be quiet, and to mind your⁼ own business, and to work with your⁼ own hands, just as we instructed you⁼, so that you⁼ can walk respectably toward those outside, and may have no need of anything.

And we don’t want you⁼ to be ignorant, brothers, about those who’ve been laid to rest, so that you⁼ aren’t saddened like the rest who have no expectation. For if we trust that Yeshua died and rose up, in the same way also God will bring, together with Yeshua, those who’ve been laid to rest through him. For we say this to you⁼ in the message of the lord, that we who are living, those who are left behind until the arrival of the lord, won’t precede those who’ve been laid to rest. Because the lord himself, with a rousing shout, with the loud voice of a chief messenger, and with a trumpet of God, will descend from the sky, and the dead in the Anointed will rise up first. After that, we who are living, those who are left behind, will be snatched away at the same time, together with them in the clouds, to meet the lord in the air, and in this way we will always be together with the lord. So then, console one another with these messages.

a) Jews used “Lord” in place of “Yahweh” to avoid any possibility of breaking the third commandment.

5 Now about the times and seasons brothers, you’ve⁼ no need to be written to, for you⁼ yourselves know exactly that the day of the lord is coming like a thief in the night. For when they’re saying “Peace and security”, then, unforseen by them, complete ruin will be standing there, like labour to the one who’s pregnant^a. And they definitely won’t escape. But you⁼ brothers, you⁼ aren’t in darkness so that that day might overtake you⁼ like a thief. For all of you⁼ are sons of light and sons of day. We aren’t of night, nor of darkness.

So then, let’s not lie asleep like the rest do, but let’s stay alert and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night, but we, being of the day, let’s be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of the expectation of salvation, because God didn’t put us here for wrath, but to procure salvation through our lord Yeshua the Anointed, who died on our behalf, so that whether we’re alert or whether we sleep, at the same time, together with him, we’ll live.

Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as you’re⁼ doing. And we ask you⁼ brothers, to know those who labour among you⁼, and who are over you⁼ in the lord, and who admonish you⁼, and regard them exceedingly highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

And we entreat you⁼ brothers, admonish the disorderly, exhort the faint hearted, uphold the weak, be patient towards all. See that nobody repays anyone evil with evil, but always pursue good, both to one another and to all. Rejoice always. Pray incessantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God for you⁼ in Anointed Yeshua. Don’t extinguish the spirit. Don’t look down on prophecies. But discern all things and hold onto the better. Keep away from every appearance of wickedness.

May the god of peace himself make you⁼ holy, and may the whole of your⁼ spirit, and soul, and body, be kept blamelessly at the arrival of our lord Yeshua the Anointed. The one who calls you⁼ is trustworthy, and he’s the one who’ll make it so.

Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I urge you⁼ to swear an oath^b by the lord, to read this letter to all the holy brothers.

a) “pregnant” is literally “has in the belly”

b) “urge someone to swear an oath” is all one word in Greek

c) amen is a Hebrew word meaning “truly”


	1 Thessalonians
	1 Paulus, Silas, and Timotheos. To the assembly of the Thessalonians in God the father and in the lord Yeshua the Anointed. Grace to you⁼, and peace, from God our father and from the lord Yeshua the Anointed. We always give thanks to God about all of you⁼, making remembrance of you⁼ in our prayers, incessantly recalling your⁼ work of faith, and your⁼ labour of love, and the perseverance of your⁼ expectation of our lord Yeshua the Anointed, before God our father, knowing, brothers loved by God, of his election of you⁼. Because our good news didn’t come to you⁼ only in the message, but also in power, and in the holy spirit, and in much assurance — just as you⁼ know how we were when we were among you⁼, because of you⁼. And you⁼, you⁼ became imitators of us, and of the lord, welcoming the message amid much duress, with the joy of the holy spirit. So that you⁼ became models to all those who trust, in Macedonia, and in Achaia. For from you⁼ the message of the lord has been rung out, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but elsewhere. And in every place your⁼ faith towards God has gone out so that we had no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us, what kind of entrance we’ve had towards you⁼, and how you⁼ turned to God from idols, to serve as slaves to the living and true god, and to await his son from the heavens, whom he raised from the dead, Yeshua — the one who rescues us from the coming wrath. 2 For you⁼ yourselves know brothers, that our entrance to you⁼ wasn’t for nothing. But we had already suffered and had been maltreated, (just as you⁼ know), in Philippi. And we were bold in our god, to speak the good news of God to you⁼ among much opposition. For our consolation isn’t from going astray, nor from impurity, nor even in deceit, but just as we’ve been discerned by God to be trusted with the good news, so in the same way we speak not as if to please people, but to please God, the one who discerns our hearts. For neither did we ever come with a message of flattery, (just as you⁼ know), nor even in a pretext for greed, (as God is witness), nor even seeking glory from people, neither from you⁼ nor from others. We were able to be a burden, (since we’re ambassadors of the Anointed), but we became gentle in your midst, like a nursemaid comforting her children. In the same way, longing for you⁼, we’re delighted to give you⁼ not only the good news of God, but also our very lives, because you’ve⁼ become beloved to us, for you⁼, brothers, recall our trouble and labour. For working night and day so that we wouldn’t overburden any of you⁼, we proclaimed the good news of God to you⁼. You’re⁼ witnesses, so is God, how piously, and righteously, and blamelessly, we behaved towards those of you⁼ who trusted. Even, as you⁼ know, how we entreated and exhorted each one of you⁼, like a father to his own children. And testifying, so that you⁼ walk worthily of God, the one who calls you⁼ into his own kingdom and glory. Because of this we also give thanks to God incessantly, because having received the message of God by hearing from us, you⁼ accepted, not the message of people, but just as it really is, the message of God, who’s also working among you⁼ who trust. For you⁼, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea, in Anointed Yeshua, because you⁼ suffered the same things. You⁼ from your⁼ own fellow countrymen, just as they themselves from the Jews, who also killed the lord Yeshua, and their own prophets, and chased us away. And they don’t please God, and are opposed to all people, forbidding us to speak to the nations so that they might be saved, in order to always fill up their sins. But the wrath has overtaken them in the end. And we, brothers, having been torn away from you⁼ for a little while, (in face, not in heart), we’re exceedingly eager with great desire to see your⁼ face. That’s why we wanted to come to you⁼. Indeed, I, Paulus, tried once, and then a second time, but Satan^a hindered us. For what’s our expectation, or joy, or victory wreath of boasting? Isn’t it you⁼, before our lord Yeshua the Anointed, at his arrival? For you⁼ are our glory and joy. a) Satan is the Hebrew name for Diabolos and means “accuser” 3 That’s why, when we could stand it no longer, we were delighted to remain by ourselves in Athens, and we sent Timotheos, our brother, and servant of God, and our fellow-worker in the good news of the Anointed, in order to firmly establish you⁼, and to encourage you⁼ concerning your⁼ faith, so that nobody might waver in this duress, (for you⁼ yourselves know that we’ve been placed here for this). For even when we were with you⁼, we told you⁼ in advance that we were about to be pressured, just as you⁼ know it also came to be. Because of this, when I also could stand it no longer, I sent to perceive your⁼ faith, in case the one who tests had tested you⁼, and it turned out that our labour had been for nothing. But now, Timotheos has come to us from you⁼, and he’s brought us good news of your⁼ faith and love, and that you⁼ have a good memory of us, always longing to see us, just as we also do you⁼. Through this we were comforted about you⁼ brothers, above all our duress and distress, because of your⁼ faith. Because now we live if you⁼ stand firm in the lord. For what thankfulness are we able to repay to God for you⁼, for all the joy which we have because of you⁼ before our god. Night and day, pleading exceedingly to see your⁼ faces, and to fully provide for the needs of your⁼ faith. Now may God himself, our father, and our lord Yeshua the Anointed, align our path so we can come to you⁼. And may the lord make you⁼ abound and overabound in love to one another, and to everyone, even as we also do to you⁼, in order to firmly establish your⁼ hearts, blameless in holiness before God our father, and at the arrival of our lord Yeshua the Anointed with all his holy ones. 4 Finally then brothers, we ask you⁼ and entreat you⁼ in the lord Yeshua — just as you⁼ accepted from us how you⁼ must walk and please God — that you⁼ might overabound even more. For you⁼ know what commands we gave you⁼ through the lord Yeshua. For this is the will of God, your⁼ sanctification, that you⁼ keep away from fornication, that each of you⁼ know how to have ownership of their own vessel, in sanctification and in honour, not in the passion of desire like the nations who don’t know God, so that nobody should transgress and take advantage of his brother in this matter, because the lord^a [Yahweh] is an avenger concerning all these things, just as we also said to you⁼ before and testified to you⁼. For God didn’t call us for impurity, but in sanctification. Therefore the one who sets this aside, isn’t setting a person aside, but God, who gave his holy spirit to you⁼. But concerning brotherly love, you’ve⁼ no need for me to write to you⁼, for you⁼ yourselves are God-taught to love one another, for you⁼ also do this to all the brothers in the whole of Macedonia. But we entreat you⁼ brothers, overabound even more. And be ambitious to be quiet, and to mind your⁼ own business, and to work with your⁼ own hands, just as we instructed you⁼, so that you⁼ can walk respectably toward those outside, and may have no need of anything. And we don’t want you⁼ to be ignorant, brothers, about those who’ve been laid to rest, so that you⁼ aren’t saddened like the rest who have no expectation. For if we trust that Yeshua died and rose up, in the same way also God will bring, together with Yeshua, those who’ve been laid to rest through him. For we say this to you⁼ in the message of the lord, that we who are living, those who are left behind until the arrival of the lord, won’t precede those who’ve been laid to rest. Because the lord himself, with a rousing shout, with the loud voice of a chief messenger, and with a trumpet of God, will descend from the sky, and the dead in the Anointed will rise up first. After that, we who are living, those who are left behind, will be snatched away at the same time, together with them in the clouds, to meet the lord in the air, and in this way we will always be together with the lord. So then, console one another with these messages. a) Jews used “Lord” in place of “Yahweh” to avoid any possibility of breaking the third commandment. 5 Now about the times and seasons brothers, you’ve⁼ no need to be written to, for you⁼ yourselves know exactly that the day of the lord is coming like a thief in the night. For when they’re saying “Peace and security”, then, unforseen by them, complete ruin will be standing there, like labour to the one who’s pregnant^a. And they definitely won’t escape. But you⁼ brothers, you⁼ aren’t in darkness so that that day might overtake you⁼ like a thief. For all of you⁼ are sons of light and sons of day. We aren’t of night, nor of darkness. So then, let’s not lie asleep like the rest do, but let’s stay alert and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night, but we, being of the day, let’s be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of the expectation of salvation, because God didn’t put us here for wrath, but to procure salvation through our lord Yeshua the Anointed, who died on our behalf, so that whether we’re alert or whether we sleep, at the same time, together with him, we’ll live. Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as you’re⁼ doing. And we ask you⁼ brothers, to know those who labour among you⁼, and who are over you⁼ in the lord, and who admonish you⁼, and regard them exceedingly highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we entreat you⁼ brothers, admonish the disorderly, exhort the faint hearted, uphold the weak, be patient towards all. See that nobody repays anyone evil with evil, but always pursue good, both to one another and to all. Rejoice always. Pray incessantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God for you⁼ in Anointed Yeshua. Don’t extinguish the spirit. Don’t look down on prophecies. But discern all things and hold onto the better. Keep away from every appearance of wickedness. May the god of peace himself make you⁼ holy, and may the whole of your⁼ spirit, and soul, and body, be kept blamelessly at the arrival of our lord Yeshua the Anointed. The one who calls you⁼ is trustworthy, and he’s the one who’ll make it so. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I urge you⁼ to swear an oath^b by the lord, to read this letter to all the holy brothers. The grace of our lord Yeshua the Anointed is with you⁼. Amen^c. a) “pregnant” is literally “has in the belly” b) “urge someone to swear an oath” is all one word in Greek c) amen is a Hebrew word meaning “truly”