THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE

APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS

CHAPTER I

was at all times

AUL and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the The ThessaChurch of the Thessalonians, which is in God lonians are the Father, and in the Lord Iesus Christ: stand both how given to undergrace be unto you, and peace from God our mindfull of Father, and the Lord Iesus Christ. We give them S. Paul thankes to God alwaies for you all, making in thanksmention of you in our prayers, remembring giving, and without ceasing your worke of faith, and labour prayer: of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Iesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father: knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our Gospel came not unto you and also how in word onely: but also in power, and in the holy Ghost, and in well he was much assurance, as yee know what maner of men we were among the truth, and perswaded of you for your sake. And yee became followers of us, and of the sinceritie of Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with ioy of the their faith, holy Ghost: so that ye were ensamples to all that beleeve in sion to God. Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the Word of the Lord, not onely in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to Godward is spred abroad, so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us, what maner of entring in we had unto you, and how yee turned to God from idols, to serve the living, and true God, and to waite for his sonne from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Iesus which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Fo

CHAPTER II

OR your selves, brethren, knowe our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vaine. But even after that wee had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, wee were bold in our God, to speake unto you the

6: RR

313

and conver

CHAPTER Gospel of God with much contention.

II

and in what

sort also they

received it.

For our exhortation was not of deceite, nor of uncleannesse, nor in guile: but as we were In what manner allowed of God to bee put in trust with the Gospel, even so wee the Gospel was speake, not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. brought and preached to the For neither at any time used wee flattering wordes, as yee Thessalonians, knowe, nor a cloke of covetousnesse, God is witnesse: nor of men sought we glorie, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have beene burdensome, as the Apostles of Christ. But wee were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the Gospel of God only, but also our owne soules, because ye were deare unto us. For yee remember, brethren, our labour and travaile: for labouring night and day, because wee would not bee chargeable unto any of you, wee preached unto you the Gospel of God. Yee are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and iustly, and unblameably wee behaved our selves among you that beleeve. As you know, how wee exhorted and comforted, and charged every one of you, (as a father doeth his children,) that ye would walke worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdome and glory. For this cause also thanke wee God without ceasing, because when yee received the word of God, which yee heard of us, yee received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in trueth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that beleeve. For yee, brethren, became followers of the Churches of God, which in Iudea are in Christ Iesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your owne countreymen, even as they have of the lewes: who both killed the Lord Iesus, and their owne Prophets, and have persecuted us: and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: forbidding us to speake to the Gentiles, that they might bee saved, to fill up their sinnes alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. But wee, brethren, beeing taken from you for a short time, in presence, not in heart, endevored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. Wherefore we would have come unto you (even I Paul) once and againe : but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or ioy, or crowne of reioycing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming? For, ye are our glory and ioy.

A reason is rendred both why Saint Paul was so long absent from

them, and also why hee was so desirous to see them.

W

CHAPTER III

CHAPTER
III

love to the

unto them to

THEREFORE when wee could no longer forbeare, wee S. Paul testithought it good to bee left at Athens alone: and sent fieth his great Timotheus our brother and minister of God, and our Thessalonians, fellow labourer in the Gospel of Christ, to establish you, and partly by sendto comfort you concerning your faith: that no man should be ing Timothie mooved by these afflictions: for your selves know that we are strengthen and appointed therunto. For verily when wee were with you, we comfort them: told you before, that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came partly by reioycing in their to passe know. For this cause when I could no longer weldoing: and ye forbeare, I sent to know your faith, lest by some meanes the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vaine. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charitie, and that ye have good remembrance of us alwayes, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you therefore brethren, wee were comforted over you in all our affliction and distresse, by your faith: for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thankes can we render to God againe for you, for all the ioy wherewith wee ioy for your sakes before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we and partly by might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in praying for your faith? Now God himselfe and our Father, and our Lord them, and desiring a safe Iesus Christ direct our way unto you. And the Lorde make you comming unto to increase, and abound in love one towards another, and towards them. all men, even as we doe towards you: to the end hee may stablish your hearts unblameable in holinesse before God even our Father, at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his Saints.

FU

CHAPTER IIII

URTHERMORE then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort Hee exhorteth you by the Lord Iesus, that as yee have received of us, how them to goe on forward in all ye ought to walke, and to please God, so yee would abound manner of more and more. For yee know what commandements wee gave godlinesse, you, by the Lord Iesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that yee should absteine from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honour: not in the lust of concupiscence, even as

the Gentiles which know not God: that no man goe beyond and to live holily defraud his brother in any matter, because that the Lord is the and iustly, avenger of all such; as we also have forewarned you, and testified: for God hath not called us unto uncleannesse, but unto holinesse.

CHAPTER

IIII

to love one another,

followe their owne businesse:

and last of all

to sorrow

He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you: for yee your selves are taught of God to love one an other. And in deed ye doe it towards all the brethren, which are in all Macedonia: but we and quietly to beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more: and that ye studie to be quiet, and to doe your owne businesse, and to worke with your owne hands, (as wee commanded you :) that ye may walke honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lacke of nothing. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleepe, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we beleeve that Iesus died, and rose againe: even so them also which sleepe in Iesus, will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, That we which are alive and remaine unto the comming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleepe. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voyce of the Archangel, and with the trumpe of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive, and tion, and second remaine, shalbe caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the aire: and so shall wee ever bee with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one an other with these words.

moderately

for the dead.

And unto this last exhorta

tion is annexed

a briefe de

scription of

the resurrec

comming of

Christ to

iudgement.

CHAPTER V

UT of the times and the seasons, brethren, yee have no need that I write unto you. For your selves knowe perfectly that the day of the Lord so commeth as a thiefe in the night. For when they shal say, Peace and safety: then sudden destruction commeth upon them, as travaile upon a woman with childe, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkenesse, that that day should overtake you as a thiefe. Yee are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkenesse. Therefore let us not sleepe, as doe others: but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleepe, sleepe in the night, and they that bee drunken, are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day, bee sober, putting on the brestplate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath: but to obtaine salvation by our Lord Iesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleepe, we should live together with him. Wherefore, comfort your selves together, and edifie one another, even as also ye doe. And we beseech you, brethren, to know

CHAPTER

V

them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you and to esteeme them very highly in love for their workes sake, and be at peace among your selves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warne them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weake, be patient toward all men. See that none render evill for evill unto any man: but ever follow that which is good, both among your selves and to all men. Reioyce and giveth divers precepts, evermore: pray without ceasing: in every thing give thankes: for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you. Quench not the spirit: despise not prophecyings: prove all things: hold fast that which is good. Abstaine from all appearance of evill. And and so concludthe very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I eth the Epistle. God pray whole spirit, and soule, and body be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Faithfull is hee that calleth you, who also will doe it. Brethren, pray for us. Greete all the brethren with an holy kisse. I charge you by the Lord, that this Epistle bee read unto all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you, Amen.

The first Epistle unto the Thessalonians, was written from Athens.

your

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE

APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS

P

CHAPTER I

ence:

AUL and Silvanus, and Timotheus unto the S. Paul certiChurch of the Thessalonians, in God our fieth them of the good opinion Father, and the Lord Iesus Christ: Grace which hee had unto you, and peace from God our Father, of their faith, and the Lorde Iesus Christ. Wee are bound love, and patito thanke God alwayes for you, brethren, as it is meete, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charitie of every one of you al towards each other aboundeth: so that wee our selves glorie in you in the Churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that