New Testament
1 Thessalonians 1
Overview
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy open with greeting and an outpouring of thanksgiving for the young Thessalonian church. Paul gives thanks because their lives display the famous triad — "work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope" (1:3) — visible fruit that proves God has chosen them. He recalls how the gospel came to them "not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (1:5), and how, despite "much affliction," they received the word "with the joy of the Holy Spirit" (1:6). As a result they became imitators of Paul and of the Lord, and then a model for believers throughout Macedonia and Achaia. The chapter ends by describing their conversion in classic terms: they "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven" (1:9-10) — a summary that already sounds the letter's twin notes of present service and future expectation of the risen Jesus who delivers from the wrath to come.
1Paul, 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.
2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
3Remembering 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;
4Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
5For 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.
6And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
7So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
8For 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.
9For 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;
10And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.