Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and {Or, stedfastness}patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before {Or, God and our Father}our God and Father;
knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election,
{Or, because our gospel & c.}how that our {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much {Or, fulness}assurance; even as ye know what manner of men we showed ourselves toward you for your sake.
And ye became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit;
so that ye became an ensample to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.
For from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith to God-ward is gone forth; so that we need not to speak anything.
For they themselves report concerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivereth us from the wrath to come.
Querverweise zu 1. Thessalonicher 1,3 1Thes 1,3
But when Timothy came even now unto us from you, and brought us glad tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, even as we also to see you;
And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us {Greek: the word of hearing. Galatians 3:2, 5}the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
to them that by {Or, stedfastness}patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:
For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers in a pure conscience, how unceasing is my remembrance of thee in my supplications, night and day
longing to see thee, remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with {Or, joy in being reminded}joy;
having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in thee; which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and, I am persuaded, in thee also.
For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judæa in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews;
Many waters cannot quench love,Neither can floods drown it:If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, {Or, It}He would utterly be contemned.
And not only so, but {Or, let us also rejoice}we also {Greek: glory. Verse 11; Hebrew 3:6.}rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness;
and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope:
and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been {Greek: poured out.}shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.
Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord;
Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed.
They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God?
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom {Or, he sent}he hath sent.
If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.
For {Or, by}in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: {Many ancient authorities read for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?}for who {Some ancient authorities read awaiteth.}hopeth for that which he seeth?
and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
but now is manifested, and {Greek: through.}by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the {Or, Gentiles}nations unto obedience {Or, to the faith}of faith:
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.
Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto him, Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with {Or, stedfastness}patience wait for it.
For we are not as the many, {Or, making merchandise of the word of God. Compare 2 Peter 2:3}corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not {Or, void}vain in the Lord.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer;
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith {Or, wrought}working through love.
So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of {Greek: Joanes. See chapter 1:42 margin}John, {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of {Greek: Joanes. See chapter 1:42 margin}John, {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep.
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of {Greek: Joanes. See chapter 1:42 margin}John, {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou {Or, perceivest}knowest that I {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
make you perfect in every good {Many ancient authorities read work.}thing to do his will, working in {Many ancient authorities read you.}us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory {Greek: unto the ages of the ages.}for ever and ever. Amen.
We are bound to give thanks to God always to you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith growth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth;
Salute Mary, who bestowed much labor on you.
But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the {Greek: greater. Compare Matthew 18:1, 4; 23:11}greatest of these is love.
but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every {Greek: good pleasure of goodness. Compare Romans 10:1.}desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power;
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;
rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;
{Or, covereth Compare 1 Peter 4:8.}beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;
Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall {Or, into Greek: in.}after the same example of disobedience.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died;
And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.
For ye have need of {Or, stedfastness}patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise.
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
But as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in {Some ancient authorities read our love to you.}your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich.
knowing that the proving of your faith worketh {Or, stedfastness}patience.
By faith Abraham, being tried, {Greek: hath offered up.}offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.
And let {Or, stedfastness}patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.
By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
accounting the reproach of {Or, the Christ Compare 1 Corinthians 10:4.}Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
By faith he {Or, instituted Greek: hath made.}kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days.
By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace.
And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets:
who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens.
hearing of {Or, thy love and faith}thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in {Many ancient authorities read us.}you, unto Christ.
For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.
Be patient therefore, brethren, until the {Greek: presence.}coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until {Or, he}it receive the early and latter rain.
Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
{Or, But some one will say}Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith.
Thou believest that {Some ancient authorities read there is one God.}God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
{Or, Seest thou…perfect?}Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;
and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, {Genesis 15:6}And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; {Isaiah 41:8; 2 Chronicles 20:7}and he was called the friend of God.
Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister.
Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the {Greek: presence.}coming of the Lord is at hand.
I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and {Or, stedfastness}patience, and that thy last works are more than the first.
And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the {Or, full assurance}fulness of hope even to the end:
And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
Because thou didst keep the word of my {Or, stedfastness}patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of {Or, temptation}trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole {Greek: inhabited earth.}world, to {Or, tempt}try them that dwell upon the earth.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
I know thy works, and thy toil and {Or, stedfastness}patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false;
and thou hast {Or, stedfastness}patience and didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary.
But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love.