II

LETTERS OF PAUL

To the Thessalonians (I.-II.)
To the Corinthians (I.-II.)

To the Galatians

To the Romans

To Philemon

To the Colossians

To the Ephesians

To the Philippians
To Timothy (I.)

To Titus

To Timothy (II.)

FIRST LETTER OF PAUL

TO THE

THESSALONIANS

PAUL

AUL, and Silvanus, and Timothy, to the congregation of Thes-
salonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Joy"
to you,
and peace.

b

We give thanks to God at all times on account of you all, making mention of you unremittingly in our prayers, remembering in the presence of God even our Father, your work of faith and the toil of your love, and the constancy of your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. And we know, beloved brethren, your being chosen by God, because our Good-tidings hath not proved to be, as regards you, in word only, but also with power, and with holy spirit, and with great conviction: even as ye know what sort of persons we proved to be to you for your sake. And ye became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the Word in much suffering, with joy from the Holy Spirit; d so that ye became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you the word of the Lord hath resounded not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith toward God hath been spread abroad everywhere, so that we have no need

(i. 1-8.)

Or, loving-favor; or, spiritual blessing: (and so elsewhere.)

↳ Paul often uses the first person plural in speaking of himself.

C

Or, the Holy Spirit.

d

Or, with the joy of a holy spirit.

to speak of it at all. For they themselves are telling about us, what kind of a reception we had with you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve a God that is living and real, and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead - even Jesus, who rescueth us from the coming wrath.

For ye yourselves, brethren, know our coming in to you, that it did not prove to be fruitless: on the contrary, although we had previously suffered and had been shamefully.abused at Philippi, as ye know, we were bold of speech through our God, so as to speak to you the Good-tidings of God with much earnestness." For our exhortation is not from error, nor from impurity, nor in deceit; but on the contrary, even as we have been regarded by God as worthy to be intrusted with the Good-tidings, so we speak, not as seeking to please men, but God, who approveth our hearts. For we have not at any time been found speaking flattering words, (as ye well know,) nor with a motive of covetousness, (God is witness,) nor as seeking honor from men,— neither from you nor from others,— although we have a right to be of importance as Christ's apostles. On the contrary, we were found to be gentle in the midst of you, as a mother would cherish her own children; for we had such a fond affection for you, that we were ready to impart to you not only the Goodtidings of God, but even our own lives, because ye had become very dear to us. For ye remember, brethren, our toil and hardship: that we labored night and day, so as not to be burdensome to any of you while we were proclaiming to you the Good-tidings of God. Yourselves are witnesses, and so is God, how holily and righteously and blamelessly we behaved toward you that are believers: even as ye know how, as a father doth to his own children, we exhorted each one of you, and encouraged you, and conjured you, so that ye should walk in a manner worthy of that God who called you into his own kingdom and glory.

And on this account we are constantly giving thanks to God, be cause, when ye received the word which ye heard from us, the word (i. 9—ii. 13.)

of God, ye accepted it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which a indeed actively worketh in you who believe. For ye, brethren, have become copies of the congregations of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea; because ye also have suffered such things from your own countrymen as they also have done from the Judeans; who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and do not please God, and are enemies to all men, seeking to hinder us from telling the Gentiles that they may be saved, in order to fill up the measure of their sins in every way: but the wrath hath come upon them unto the end.b

BUT we, brethren, after being separated from you for a very short season, (in personal presence, not in heart,) endeavored very earnestly with great desire to see your face; for which reason we wished to come to you, even I Paul myself, both once and twice, but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his appearing? Indeed ye are our glory and our joy.

Wherefore, when we could endure no longer, we thought it well to be left alone at Athens, and sent Timothy, our brother and God's ministering-servant in the Good-tidings of the Christ, that he might make you firm and encourage you in regard to your faith, so that no one should be made to waver by these afflictions: for ye yourselves know that we are appointed to this; for even when we were with you, we forewarned you that we are to suffer affliction; as it hath come to pass, as ye know. On this account, also, when I could endure no longer, I sent in order to learn about your faith, lest possibly the tempter had tempted you, and so our toil should prove to be in vain.

e

d

But Timothy having just now come to us from you, and having brought us good tidings in regard to your faith and your love, and that ye have a kind remembrance of us at all times, longing to see