which is toward God is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing; for they themselves report concerning 9 us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from the idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from the heavens, whom 10 he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us out of the wrath to come.

CH.

FOR yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto II. you, that it has not been in vain; but after we suffered 2 before, and were illtreated as ye know at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation comes not out of 3 deceit, nor out of uncleanness, nor in guile; but even as 4 we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proves our hearts. For neither at any time used we 5 words of flattery, as ye know, nor a pretence of covetousness, God is witness: not from men sought we glory, 6 neither from you nor from others, when we might have been burdensome as apostles of Christ; but we became 7 gentle among you, as if a nurse were cherishing her own children; thus being affectionately desirous of you, we s were pleased to impart unto you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because ye became objects of our love. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and 9 toil; working night and day that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. Ye 10 are witnesses and God, how holily and righteously and unblameably we became to you that believe, even as ye 11 know how with regard to each one of you, as a father to his own children, we were exhorting you and comforting, and testifying that ye should walk worthy of God, who 12 calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

And for this cause also we thank God unceasingly, 13 because, when ye received God's word of hearing from us ye accepted not men's word but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually works also in you that believe. For ye, brethren, became imitators of the 14

churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; because ye also suffered the same things by your own 15 countrymen, even as they also did by the Jews, by them who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and please not God, and are contrary to all men; 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, in order to fill up their sins always. But the wrath came upon them to the end.

17

But we, brethren, having been separated from you for a short time in face, not in heart, were anxious more abun18 dantly to see your face with much longing. Wherefore

we desired to come unto you, even I Paul both once and 19 again, and Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying; are not even ye before our Lord 20 Jesus at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.

CH. III.

WHEREFORE, When bearing no longer, it was our 2 pleasure to be left behind in Athens alone; and we sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and to exhort you on 3 behalf of your faith, that no one might be disquieted by these afflictions. For ye yourselves know that we are 4 appointed thereunto. For even when we were with you, we told you before that we are about to be afflicted, even 5 as it also came to pass, and ye know. For this cause I also bearing no longer, sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter tempted you, and our labour 6 should be in vain. But Timothy having just now come unto us from you, and having brought us good tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have a good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, as we also to see you; 7 for this cause we were comforted, brethren, over you in all our necessity and affliction through your faith; 8, 9 because now we live, if ye stand in the Lord. For what thanksgiving are we able to render to God again for you, and all the joy wherewith we rejoice for your sakes 10 before our God; night and day supplicating exceeding abundantly that we might see your face, and might complete that which is wanting in your faith?

But may he himself, our God and Father, and our Lord 11 Jesus, direct our way unto you; and you may the Lord 12 make to multiply and abound in love one toward another and toward all, even as we also toward you; to the 13 end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God and our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. Amen.

CH.

FINALLY then, brethren, we ask you and exhort in Iv. the Lord Jesus, that even as ye received from us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as also ye do walk, ye would abound more. For ye know what commandments 2 we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will 3 of God, your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; that every one of you should know to acquire his 4 own vessel in sanctification and honour, not in the 5 passion of lust, as also the Gentiles who know not God; that he should not go beyond and over-reach his brother 6 in the matter, because the Lord is an avenger concerning all these, even as we also spake to you before and testified fully. For God did not call us unto uncleanness, but in 7 sanctification. He therefore that rejects, rejects not a man, 8 but the God who also gives his holy Spirit unto you.

But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write 9 unto you; for ye yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren in the 10 whole of Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, to abound more, and to be ambitious to be quiet, and to do your 11 own business, and to work with your hands, even as we commanded you; that ye may walk seemly toward them 12 without, and have need of nothing.

But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, con- 13 cerning them who are asleep, in order that ye may not be sorry, even as the rest who have no hope. For if we 14 believe that Jesus died and is risen, so also will God through Jesus bring with him them that slept. For this we say 15 unto you in a word of the Lord, that we the living who remain unto the coming of the Lord shall by no means go before them that slept; because the Lord himself will 16

descend from heaven at a signal-shout, at the voice of an archangel and at the trump of God, and the dead in 17 Christ will rise first; then we the living who remain shall be caught up together with them in clouds, to meet the Lord, into the air; and so we shall be always with the 18 Lord. So then exhort one another with these words. CH. V.

BUT concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye 2 have no need that I write unto you; for yourselves know strictly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in 3 the night. When they say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as the pain upon a woman 4 with child, and they shall by no means escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake 5 you as a thief; for ye are all sons of light and sons 6 of day we are not of night nor of darkness; therefore

let us not sleep, as the rest; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep by night; and they that are 8 drunken are drunken by night; but let us who are of day be sober, having put on a breastplate of faith and 9 love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation, for God appointed us not to wrath, but to the possession of salva10 tion through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with 11 him. Wherefore exhort one another, and edify each other, even as also ye do.

12

But we ask you, brethren, to know them that labour among you and preside over you in the Lord and 13 admonish you; and to think of them exceeding abundantly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among 14 yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, admonish the

disorderly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, 15 be longsuffering toward all. See that none render evil

for evil unto any one; but always pursue that which is good 16, 17 toward one another and toward all. Rejoice always, pray 18 without ceasing, in every thing give thanks; for this is 19 the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. Quench 20, 21 not the Spirit, set not prophesies at nought; but prove all

22 things, hold fast the good; abstain from every form of

evil. But may he himself, the God of peace, sanctify you 23 wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept whole without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will 24 do it.

Brethren, pray for us. Salute all the brethren with 25, 26 an holy kiss. I adjure you by the Lord that the epistle 27 be read unto all the brethren.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

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TO THE THESSALONIANS SECOND.

PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of CH. I. the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be unto you and peace, from God our 2 Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ought to give thanks to God always for you, 3 brethren, even as it is meet, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another abounds; so that we ourselves glory in you among 4 the churches of God on behalf of your patience and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions that ye endure; which is a token of the righteous judgment of God, that 5 ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, on behalf of which ye also suffer; since it is a righteous 6 thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, and to you who are afflicted rest with us, at the 7 revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with angels of his power, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them 8 that know not God and on them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus; who will suffer punishment, ever- 9 lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his strength, when he shall come to be 10