1Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus, to the church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2We always thank God for you all. We mention you in our prayers.
3We never stop remembering your work of faith, your labour of love, and your patient hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God our Father.
4We know, brothers and sisters, dearly loved, that God has chosen you.
5For our gospel did not come to you in words only. It came also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we were among you, for your sake.
6And you became followers of us and of the Lord. You received the word in much trouble, with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
7So you became examples to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
8For the word of the Lord sounded out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia. Your faith toward God has spread everywhere, so that we do not need to say anything.
9For they themselves tell what kind of welcome we had among you. They tell how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God,
10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead. That is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.