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 1,5 1Thes 1,5
so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
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.
In the pride of the wicked {Or, he doth hotly pursue the poor}the poor {Hebrew: is set on fire.}is hotly pursued; {Or, They are taken}Let them be taken in the devices that they have conceived.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the {Or, Advocate Or, Helper Greek: Paraclete.}Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.
And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
of sin, because they believe not on me;
of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye behold me no more;
of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you.
All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you.
that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the {Or, fulness}full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, {The ancient authorities vary much in the text of this passage.}even Christ,
For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain:
but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of God in much conflict.
For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts.
For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness;
nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have {Or, been burdensome verse 9; Compare 1 Corinthians 9:4 ff.}claimed authority as apostles of Christ.
But we were {Most of the ancient authorities read babes. Compare 1 Corinthians 14:20.}gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children:
even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very dear to us.
For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of God.
Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and unblamably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe:
as ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying,
For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
And I do all things for the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.
in the day when God {Or, judgeth}shall judge the secrets of men, according to my {See marginal notes on chapter 1:1.}gospel, by Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire,And {Or, blesseth the covetous, but contemneth &c.}the covetous renounceth, yea, {Or, revileth}contemneth Jehovah.
Being therefore {Or, at }by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear.
how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard;
And when they were come to him, he said unto them,Ye yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, after what manner I was with you all the time,
Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
And even if our {See marginal note on chapter 2:12.}gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that {Or, are perishing}perish:
who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word.
And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
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:
serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews;
But though we, or an angel from heaven, should {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preach {Some ancient authorities omit unto you.}unto you any gospel {Or, contrary to that}other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema.
As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preacheth unto you any gospel {Or, contrary to that}other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a {Greek: bondservant.}servant of Christ.
For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel which was {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preached by me, that it is not after man.
For neither did I receive it from {Or, a man}man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord.
And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.
And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized {Or, with}in the Holy Spirit.
If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?
And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then to the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life.
that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us:
I coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
And I went up by revelation; and I laid before them the {See marginal note on chapter 1:6.}gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately before them who {Or, are}were of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had run, in vain.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul.
Know ye not that ye are a {Or, sanctuary}temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil;
For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
And my {Or, word}speech and my {Greek: thing preached.}preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
that your faith should not {Greek: be.}stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
whereunto he called you through our {Greek: good tidings: see chapter 1:8.}gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For I am not ashamed of the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal.
For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:
to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;
and to another workings of {Greek: powers.}miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:
but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.
let us draw near with a true heart in {Or, full assurance}fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil {Or, conscience, and our body washed with pure water: let us hold fast}conscience: and having our body washed with pure water,
For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, {Or, and to angels, and to men}both to angels and men.
We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.
Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;
and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the {Or, refuse}filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my {See marginal note on chapter 1:8.}gospel:
For I will not dare to speak of any {Greek: of those things which Christ wrought not through me.}things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the {Greek: nations. Compare Matthew 4.15.}Gentiles, by word and deed,
in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,
Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:
even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.
in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of {Many ancient authorities read the Spirit of God. One reads the Spirit.}the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have {Greek: fulfilled. Compare Colossians 1:25.}fully preached the {See marginal note on chapter 1:1}gospel of Christ;
This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the {Or, message}hearing of faith?
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, {or, do ye now make an end in the flesh?}are ye now perfected in the flesh?
Did ye suffer so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain.
He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit, and worketh {Greek: powers}miracles {Or, in}among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a {Greek: squalid.}dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts:
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:
but unto {Greek: the called themselves.}them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.
but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
And my {Or, word}speech and my {Greek: thing preached.}preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed;
but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much {Or, stedfastness}patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,
in the word of truth, in the power of God; {Greek: though.}by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
that your faith should not {Greek: be.}stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.
The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the {Or, laver}washing of regeneration {Or, and through renewing}and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
neither did we eat bread for nought at any man's hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:
not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.
(for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds),
which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity.
Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.
Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all.
Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.
casting down {Or, reasonings Romans 2:15.}imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;
God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by {Greek: distributions.}gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.
neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock.
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that {Greek: brought good tidings. Compare Matthew 11:5.} preached the gospel unto you {Greek: in.}by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together {Some ancient authorities read in Christ.}with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
Be not deceived, my beloved brethren.
Every good {Or, giving}gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Blessed be {Or, God and the Father See Romans 15:6 margin.}the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,