Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the
Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is
meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the
charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for
your patience and faith in all your persecutions and
tribulations that ye endure:
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God,
that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which
ye also suffer:
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense
tribulation to them that trouble you;
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be
admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among
you was believed) in that day.
Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would
count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good
pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in
you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by
spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day
of Christ is at hand.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not
come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of
sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called
God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you
these things?
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in
his time.
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with
the brightness of his coming:
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all
power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that
they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that
they should believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but
had pleasure in unrighteousness.
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth:
Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which
ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father,
which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation
and good hope through grace,
Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and
work.
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may
have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men:
for all men have not faith.
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you
from evil.
And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both
do and will do the things which we command you.
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into
the patient waiting for Christ.
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that
walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he
received of us.
For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved
not ourselves disorderly among you;
Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought
with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be
chargeable to any of you:
Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an
ensample unto you to follow us.
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if
any would not work, neither should he eat.
For we hear that there are some which walk among you
disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus
Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own
bread.
But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that
man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all
means. The Lord be with you all.
The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token
in every epistle: so I write.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.