1 Thessalonians

Chapter 1

The gospel comes both in word and in power.

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2  We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3  Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

4  Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

5  For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
(The true church has the word and the power.  McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary -- pages 42, 43) 

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

7  So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8  For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

9  For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Chapter 2

True ministers preach in a godly manner—Converts are the glory and joy of missionaries.

1  For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:

2  But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

3  For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

4  But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
(D&C 12: 8   And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted to his care.)

5  For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

6  Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

7  But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

8  So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

9  For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

10  Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

11  As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,

12  That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

13  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

14  For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judæa are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

15  Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

17  But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

18  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

19  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

20  For ye are our glory and joy.

Chapter 3

The Saints are told to perfect that which is lacking in their faith.

 1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at ^aAthens alone;

 2 And sent ^aTimotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to ^bestablish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

 3 That no man should be ^amoved by these ^bafflictions: for yourselves know that we are ^cappointed thereunto.

 4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

 5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the ^atempter have ^btempted you, and our labour be in vain.

 6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:

 7 Therefore, brethren, we were ^acomforted over you in all our ^baffliction and distress by your faith:

 8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

 9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the ^ajoy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;

 10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your ^aface, and might ^bperfect that which is lacking in your faith?

 11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

 12 And the Lord make you to increase and ^aabound in ^blove one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

 13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the ^acoming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his ^bsaints.

Chapter 4

The Saints are told to be holy, sanctify themselves, and love one another—The Lord will come, and the dead will rise.

 1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have ^areceived of us how ye ought to ^bwalk and to ^cplease God, so ye would ^dabound more and more.

 2 For ye know what commandments ^awe gave you by the Lord Jesus.

 3 For this is the will of God, even your ^asanctification, that ye should ^babstain from ^cfornication:

 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his ^avessel in ^bsanctification and honour;

 5 Not in the ^alust of concupiscence, even as the ^bGentiles which ^cknow not God:

 6 That no man ^ago beyond and defraud his brother in ^bany matter: because that the Lord is the ^cavenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

 7 For God hath not called us unto ^auncleanness, but unto holiness.

 8 He therefore that ^adespiseth, ^bdespiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his ^choly Spirit.

 9 But as touching ^abrotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are ^btaught of God to ^clove one another.

 10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

 11 And that ye ^astudy to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to ^bwork with your own ^chands, as we commanded you;

 12 That ye may walk ^ahonestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye ^asorrow not, even as others which have no ^bhope.

 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which ^asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, ^athat ^bwe which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not ^cprevent them which are asleep.

 16 For the Lord himself shall ^adescend from heaven with ^ba shout, with the voice of the ^carchangel, and with the ^dtrump of God: and the dead in Christ shall ^erise first:

 17 ^aThen we which are alive and remain shall be ^bcaught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the ^cLord in the ^dair: and so shall we ^eever be with the ^fLord.

 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Chapter 5

The Saints will know the season of the Second Coming of Christ—Live the way Saints should live—Rejoice evermore—Do not despise prophesyings.

1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the ^aday of the Lord so cometh as a ^bthief in the night.

 3 For when they shall say, Peace and ^asafety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not ^bescape.

 4 But ye, brethren, are not in ^adarkness, that that ^bday should overtake you as a thief.

 5 Ye are all the ^achildren of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

 6 Therefore let us not ^asleep, as do others; but let us ^bwatch and be ^csober.

 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

 8 But let us, who are of the day, be ^asober, putting on the ^bbreastplate of ^cfaith and love; and for an helmet, the ^dhope of salvation.

 9 For God hath not appointed us to ^awrath, but to obtain ^bsalvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should ^alive together with him.

11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

 12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which ^alabour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

 13 And to ^aesteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at ^bpeace among yourselves.

 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, ^awarn them that are ^bunruly, ^ccomfort the ^dfeebleminded, ^esupport the ^fweak, be patient toward all men.

 15 See that none ^arender ^bevil for evil unto any ^cman; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

 16 ^aRejoice evermore.

 17 ^aPray without ceasing.

 18 In every thing give ^athanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 19 ^aQuench not the ^bSpirit.

 20 Despise not prophesyings.

 21 ^aProve all things; hold fast that which is good.

 22 ^aAbstain from all ^bappearance of ^cevil.

 23 And the very God of peace ^asanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

 25 Brethren, pray for us.

 26 Greet all the brethren with an holy ^akiss.

 27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

¶The first epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens.