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Paul says ‘Hello’

This letter is from Paul, Silas and Timothy.

We are writing to the people of the church in Thessalonica. You belong to God our Father, and to the Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray that God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to help you. We pray that they will give you peace in your minds.

Paul thanks God because of the believers at Thessalonica

Our Christian friends, we ought always to thank God because of you. It is right that we do this, because you are learning to trust Christ more and more. All of you are also loving each other more and more. As a result, we are proud to tell believers in other churches about you. We tell them how you continue to trust God in your many troubles. You are patient and brave, even when people cause you to have much pain.

This shows us that God judges people in a way that is right. Now you are receiving much trouble because you belong to God's kingdom. This shows that God accepts you as the people that he rules.

God will punish those people who are causing trouble for you. He will cause trouble for them. That is right and fair. God will also do what is right and fair for you. You have troubles now. But one day God will cause you to have rest, together with us. That will happen when the Lord Jesus comes down from heaven. He will come with his powerful angels, and with a very hot fire. He will punish those people who do not know God. Yes, he will punish those people who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. Their punishment will continue for ever, as God destroys them. He will keep them away from the Lord. They will never see the Lord, or his great power. 10 This will happen when Jesus comes on that special day. His own people will praise him for the great things that he has done for them. All of us who are believers will be surprised when we see his great power. This includes you, because you believed our message about the Lord Jesus.

Paul prays for the believers

11 So we always pray for you. Our God has chosen you to be his own people. We pray that he will help you, so that you continue to please him. We also pray that God will work powerfully in you. Then you will be able to do every good thing that you want to do. You will do the things that you want to do because you trust God. 12 As a result, people will praise our Lord Jesus because of how you live. You also will receive praise, because you belong to Jesus. All this is possible because our God and the Lord Jesus Christ are very kind.

Paul, Silas[a](A) and Timothy,(B)

To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(D)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

We ought always to thank God for you,(E) brothers and sisters,[b] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.(F) Therefore, among God’s churches we boast(G) about your perseverance and faith(H) in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.(I)

All this is evidence(J) that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy(K) of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just:(L) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you(M) and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven(N) in blazing fire(O) with his powerful angels.(P) He will punish(Q) those who do not know God(R) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(S) They will be punished with everlasting destruction(T) and shut out from the presence of the Lord(U) and from the glory of his might(V) 10 on the day(W) he comes to be glorified(X) in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.(Y)

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,(Z) that our God may make you worthy(AA) of his calling,(AB) and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness(AC) and your every deed prompted by faith.(AD) 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,(AE) and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.[c]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
  2. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 2:1, 13, 15; 3:1, 6, 13.
  3. 2 Thessalonians 1:12 Or God and Lord, Jesus Christ