English: Unlocked Literal Bible for 1 Thessalonians

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Bible Text: The English Unlocked Literal Bible (ULB)
©2017 Wycliffe Associates
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The English Unlocked Literal Bible is based on the unfoldingWord® Literal Text, CC BY-SA 4.0. The original work of the unfoldingWord® Literal Text is available at https://unfoldingword.bible/ult/.
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Notes: English ULB Translation Notes
©2017 Wycliffe Associates
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1 Thessalonians

Chapter 1

1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be to you. 1

2We always give thanks to God for all of you as we mention you continually in our prayers.3We remember before our God and Father your work of faith, labor of love, and patient endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4Brothers loved by God, we know he has chosen you,5because our gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance. In the same way, you also know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
6You became imitators of us and of the Lord when you received the word in much tribulation with joy from the Holy Spirit.7As a result, you became an example to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.
8For from you the word of the Lord has rung out, and not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it.9For they themselves report concerning us what kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from the idols to serve the living and true God,10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

1Some important and ancient Greek copies read, May grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ .
Chapter 2

1For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not useless.2Rather, as you know, though we previously suffered and were shamefully treated at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much struggling.

3For our exhortation was not from error, nor from uncleanness, nor from deceit.4Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be trusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but God. He is the one who examines our hearts.
5For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext to cover up greed—God is our witness.6Nor did we seek glory from people, either from you or from others.
7We could have claimed privileges as apostles of Christ. 1 Instead, we were as gentle among you as a mother comforting her own children. 28In this way we had affection for you. We were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives. For you had become very dear to us.9For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil. Night and day we were working so that we might not be a burden to any of you as we preached to you the gospel of God.
10You are witnesses, and God also, how holy, righteous, and blameless was our behavior toward you who believe.11In the same way you know how we were with each one of you, as a father with his own children,12exhorting you and comforting you and urging you to walk in a manner that is worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

13For this reason we also thank God constantly, that when you received God's message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of man, but just as it truly is, the word of God, which is also at work in you who believe.
14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, as they did from the Jews15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who drove us out. They do not please God. Instead, they are hostile to all people.16They forbid us to speak to the Gentiles for them to be saved. The result is that they always fill up their sins to the limit. But wrath will overtake them in the end.

17But we, brothers, were separated from you for a short time, in person not in heart. We were especially eager, with great desire, to see your faces.18For we wished to come to you—indeed I, Paul, once and again—but Satan stopped us.19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of pride in front of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?20For you are our glory and joy.

1Many copies include this sentence in verse 6.
2Some important and ancient Greek copies read, Instead, we were like babies among you, as when a mother comforts her own children .
Chapter 3

1Therefore, when we could no longer bear it, we thought it was good to be left behind at Athens alone.2We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and comfort you regarding your faith, 13so that no one would be shaken by these tribulations. For you yourselves know that for this we have been appointed.

4Truly, when we were with you, we told you in advance that we were about to suffer affliction, and it happened just so, as you know.5For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent that I might know about your faith. Perhaps the tempter had somehow tempted you, and our labor was in vain.
6But Timothy came to us from you and brought us the good news of your faith and love. He told us that you always have good memories of us, and that you long to see us just as we also long to see you.7Because of this, brothers, we were comforted by you because of your faith, in all our distress and affliction.
8For now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord.9For what thanks can we give to God for you, for all the joy that we have before our God over you?10Night and day we pray very hard that we may see your face and provide what is lacking in your faith.

11May our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you.12May the Lord make you increase and abound in love one for another and toward all people, as we also do for you.13May he strengthen your hearts so that they will be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy people.

1Some important and ancient Greek copies read, We sent Timothy, our brother and God's servant in the gospel of Christ .
Chapter 4

1Finally, brothers, we earnestly appeal to you and exhort you in the Lord Jesus. As you received instructions from us about how you must walk and please God, also in this way walk, so that you do so even more.2For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

3For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you avoid sexual immorality,4that each of you knows how to possess his own vessel in holiness and honor,5not in the passion of lust (as the Gentiles who do not know God).6Let no man transgress and wrong his brother in this matter. For the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we forewarned you and testified.
7For God did not call us to uncleanness, but to holiness.8Therefore, he who rejects this rejects not people, but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

9Regarding brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.10Indeed, you do this for all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, to do this even more.11We also exhort you to aspire to live quietly, take care of your own responsibilities, and labor with your hands, just as we commanded you,12so that you may walk properly before outsiders and not be in any need.

13We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who sleep, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who do not have hope.14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left at the coming of the Lord, will surely not go before those who have fallen asleep.
16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven. He will come with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17Then we who are alive, who are left, will together with them be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way we will always be with the Lord.18Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

Chapter 5

1Now concerning the times and seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you.2For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night.3When they say, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come on them. It will be like birth pains in a pregnant woman. They will in no way escape.

4But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that the day would overtake you like a thief.5For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not sons of the night or the darkness.6So then, let us not sleep as the rest do. Instead, let us keep watch and be sober.7For those who sleep do so at night, and those who get drunk do so at night.
8But since we belong to the day, we must stay sober and put on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation for our helmet.9For God did not appoint us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,10who died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.11Therefore comfort one another and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

12We earnestly appeal to you, brothers, to acknowledge those who labor among you and who rule over you in the Lord and who instruct you,13and to esteem them highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.14We exhort you, brothers: Warn those who are lazy, encourage the discouraged, help the weak, and be patient toward all.
15See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone. Instead, pursue what is good for one another and for all.16Rejoice always.17Pray without ceasing.18In everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19Do not quench the Spirit.20Do not despise prophecies.21Test all things. Hold firmly to what is good.22Keep away from every kind of evil.

23May the God of peace sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.24Faithful is he who calls you, the one who will also do it.

25Brothers, pray also for us.

26Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.27I command you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

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