The Time of the Lord's I 5 But as to the times and the moments, there is no need, Brothers, for any one to write to Coming. you. You yourselves know well that the Day 2 of the Lord will come just as a thief comes in the night. When people are saying 'All is quiet and safe,' it is then that, 3 like birth-pains upon a woman with child, Ruin comes suddenly upon them, and there will be no escape! You, however, 4 Brothers, are not in darkness, that the daylight should take you by surprise as if you were thieves. For you all are 'Sons 5 of Light' and 'Sons of the Day.' Watchfulness. 6 We have nothing to do with night, or darkThe Necessity ness. Therefore let us not sleep as others do. for No, let us be watchful and self-controlled. It is 7 at night that men sleep, and at night that drunkards get drunk. But let us, who belong to the Day, 8 control ourselves, and put on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of Salvation as a helmet. For God destined us, not for Wrath, but to win Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we are still watching or have fallen asleep, we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another, and try to build up one another's characters, as indeed you are doing. 9 ΙΟ I I Final V. CONCLUSION. 12 14 Take care 15 We beg you, Brothers, to value those who toil Counsels. among you, and are your leaders in the Lord's service, and give you counsel. Hold them in the very greatest 13 esteem and affection for the sake of their work. Live at peace with one another. We entreat you also, Brotherswarn the disorderly, comfort the faint-hearted, give a helping hand to the weak, and be patient with every one. that none of you ever pays back wrong for wrong, but always follow the kindest course with one another and with every one. Always be joyful; never cease to pray; under all circumstances give thanks to God. For 18 this is his will for you as made known in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not make light of preaching. Bring everything to the test; cling to what is good; shun every form of evil. May God himself, the giver of peace, make you altogether holy; and may your spirits, souls, and bodies be kept altogether faultless until the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you will not 24 fail you; he will complete his work. 16, 17 19, 20 21 22, 23 25 I 26, Brothers, pray for us. Farewell. Greet all the Brothers with a sacred kiss. adjure you in the Lord's name to have this letter read to all the Brethren. May the blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 28 ST. PAUL'S SECOND LETTER TO THE THESSALONIANS. AT WRITTEN PROBABLY DURING HIS STAY CORINTH, IN THE COURSE OF HIS SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY, ABOUT 53 A.D. IT is probable that about a year intervened between the Apostle's two Letters to this Macedonian Church. The Thessalonians had misunderstood what he had said in the first Letter as to the nearness of the time of Christ's Return to the earth; a misunderstanding which led to the neglect of the ordinary duties of life, accompanied by unrestrained religious excitement. To correct this misapprehension, and to urge them to fortitude, calmness and industry, St. Paul wrote this second Letter. TO THE THESSALONIANS. II. I. INTRODUCTION. To the Thessalonian Church in union with God I 1 Greeting. our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, FROM Paul, Silas, and Timothy. May God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace. II. THE APOSTLE AND HIS CONVERTS. His Thankfulness and 2 Brothers, it is our duty always to thank 3 God about you, as is but right, considering the wonderful growth of your faith, and because, Confidence. without exception, your love for one another is continually increasing. So much is this the case that 4 we ourselves speak with pride, before the Churches of God, of the patience and faith which you have shown, in spite of all the persecutions and troubles that you are enduring. These 5 persecutions will vindicate the justice of God's judgement, and will result in your being reckoned worthy of God's Kingdom, for the sake of which you are now afflicted; since God 6 deems it just to inflict suffering upon those who are now inflicting suffering upon you, and to give relief to you who are suffering, as well as to us, at the Appearing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with his mighty angels, ‘in flaming fire.' Then he 8 will 'inflict punishment upon those who refuse to know God, and upon those who turn a deaf ear' to the Good News of Jesus, our Lord. These men will pay the penalty of unutterable 9 Ruin-banished from the presence of the Lord and from the glorious manifestation of his might, when he comes to be ΙΟ honoured in his People,' and to be revered in all who have learnt to believe in him (for you also believed our testimony)—as he will be on 'That Day.' With this in view, our constant 8 Isa. 66. 14-15; Jer. 10. 25; Ps. 79. 6. 9-10 Isa. 2. 10, 11, 19, 21; Ps. 80. 7; 68. 35 (Septuagint); Isa. 49. 3. 7 II |