1Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2We give thanks to God always concerning all of you, making mention of you in our prayers. 3Without fail, we remember your work of faith, and your labor of love, and your endurance in the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father; 4Knowing your election, brethren, as you are beloved by God. 5For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and with great conviction; even as you know what sort of men we were among you for your sake. 6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, having accepted the Word in much persecution with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7So that you became examples to all those in Macedonia and Achaia who are believers. 8For the Word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every other place also your faith toward God has spread abroad, so that there is no need for us to say anything; 9Because they themselves are relating how readily you received us when we first visited you, and how you turned from idols to God, to serve the living and true God, 10And to await His Son from the heavens, Whom He raised from the dead-- Jesus, Who is delivering us from the coming wrath.