A   Paul and Syluan&us; ∧ Timothe. Unto the congregacyon of þe; Thessalonyans, in God the father, and in the Lorde Iesus Christ.

^noteGrace be vnto you, and peace from God our father, and from the Lorde Iesus Christ.

We geue god thankes ^note alwaye for you all: makynge mency&obar; of you in our prayers without ceasynge, ∧ call you to rem&ebar;bra&ubar;ce because of the worke of your fayth, and labour in ^note loue, and because ye haue contynued &ibar; þe; hope ^note of oure Lorde Iesus Christ, in þe; syght of God our father. &cross2; B   We knowe brethren (beloued of God) how that ye are electe. For oure Gospel came not vnto you by ^note worde onely, but also by power, and by the holy goost, and by moch certayntye, as ^note ye knowe, after what maner we be haued oure selues amonge you, for your sake. C   And ye became folowers of vs and of the Lorde, receauynge the worde with moch affliccy&obar;, with ioye of the holy goost: so that ye were an ensample to all that beleue in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the worde of the Lorde, not in Macedonia and in Achaia onely: but youre fayth also which ye haue vnto God, spred her selfe abroade in all quartars, so that it nedeth not vs to speake eny thynge at al. D   For they th&ebar; selues shewe of you, what maner of entring in we had vnto you and how ye tourned to God from ymages, for to serue the liuynge and true God, and for to loke for hys sonne ^note from heauen, whom he raysed from deeth: &cross3; euen Iesus, whych delyuereth vs from ^note the wrath to come. ¶ The .ii. Chapter. ¶ He putteth them in mynde of the godly conuersacyon that he led am&obar;ge them when he preached the Gospell vnto them) thanketh God that they receaue hys worde so frutefully, and excuseth hys absence.

A   For ye youre selues( ^note brethr&ebar;) knowe of oure entra&ubar;ce in vnto you, how that it was not in vayne: but euen after that we had suffred before, and were ^note shamfully entreated at Phillipos (as ye knowe) then were we bolde in oure God, to speake vnto you the Gospell of God, in ^note moch stryuynge. For oure exhortacyon was not to brynge you to erroure, nor yet to vnclennes, nether was it wyth gyle: but as we were alowed of God, that the Gospell sholde be commytted vnto vs: euen so we speake, not as they that ^note please m&ebar;, but God, whych tryeth oure hertes.

B   Nether led we oure c&obar;uersacyon at eny tyme with flatterynge wordes, as ye knowe: nether by occasyon of coueteousnes. ^noteGod is recorde: nether sought we prayse of men nether of you, nor yet of eny other, when we myght haue bene &ibar; auctorite, as þe; Apostles of Christ, but we were tender amonge you, euen as a norsse cheryssheth her chyldren, so were we affeccyoned towarde you: our good wyll was to haue dealte vnto you, C   not the Gospell of God onely: but also oure awne soules, because ye were deare vnto vs.

&cross2; Ye remember brethren oure laboure, and trauayle. ^noteFor we laboured daye ∧ nyght because we wolde not be chargeable vnto eny of you, and preached vnto you the Gospell of God. Ye are witnesses, and so is God how holyly ∧ iustly ∧ vnblameably we behaued oure selues am&obar;ge you that beleued, as ye knowe, how that we bare soch affeccyon vnto euery one of you, as a father doth vnto chyldren, exhortynge, confortyng, and besechyng you, that ye wolde walke worthy of God, whych hath called you vnto his kyngdome and glorye.

For this cause th&abar;ke we God also without ceassyng, because þt; when ye receaued of vs þe; worde (wherwith ye learned to know God) ye receaued it not as the worde of man: but euen as it was in dede, the worde of God, whych worketh also in you that beleue. &cross3; For ye brethren became folowers of the cogregacyons of God whych in Iewry are in D    Christ Iesu: for ye haue suffred lyke thynges of youre kynsmen, as we oure selues haue suffered of þe; Iewes. Whych as they kylled the Lorde Iesus, and theyr awne Prophetes, euen so haue they persecuted vs: and God they please not, and are contrary to al men, ∧ hynder vs, that we shuld not speake vnto the Gentyls, that they myght be saued, to fulfyll their synnes alwaye. For ^note þe; wrath of God is come on them, euen to the vtmost.

For as moch brethren as we are kept fr&obar; you for a season, as concernynge the bodyly presence (but not in the herte) we enforsed þe; more to se you personally with great desyre. And therfore we wold haue come vnto you, I Paul once and agayne: ^note but Satan withstode vs: for what is oure hope of ioye or crowne of reioysing? ^note are not ye it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his c&obar;mynge? yes, ye are oure glory and ioye. ¶ The .iii. Chapter. ¶ He sheweth how greatly he was reioysed, wh&ebar; Tymothe tolde him of their fayth ∧ loue.

A   Wherfore, sence we coulde no l&ebar;ger forbeare, we thought it good to remayne at ^note Athens alone, and sent Timothe oure brother ∧ mynyster of God, and the helper forth of oure laboure in the Gospell of Christ, to stablisshe you: and to conforte you concernyng our fayth ^note that no man shulde be moued &ibar; these affliccyons, For ^note ye your selues knowe, that we are euen apoynted there vnto.

For when we were wyth you, we tolde you before, that we shude suffre tribulacyon, euen as it came to passe, and as ye knowe. For this cause when I coulde no lenger forbeare, I sent that I myght haue knowledge of youre fayth, lest by some meanes þe; tempter had tempted you, B   and lest oure laboure had bene bestowed in vayne.

But now lately, when Timothe came fr&obar; you vnto vs, ∧ declared to vs your faith ∧ your loue, ∧ how þt; ye haue good rem&ebar;braunce of vs allwayes, desyrynge to se vs as we also desyre to se you. Therfore brethren we receaued c&obar;solacy&obar; by you, in all our aduersite ∧ necessite, through your fayth. For now are we alyue, yf ye st&abar;de stedfast in the Lorde. For what th&abar;kes can we rec&obar;pence to God agayne for you, ouer al þe; ioye, þt; we ioye for your sakes before our God: pray&ibar;g nyght and daye exceadyngly, þt; we might se you presently, and myght fulfyll the thynges which are lackynge vnto youre fayth.

C   God him selfe oure father, and oure Lorde Iesus Christ shall gyde oure iorney vnto you: the Lord also shall &ibar;creace you ∧ make you flowe ouer in loue one toward another, and towarde all men, euen as we do toward you, that he maye make youre hertes stable ∧ vnblameable, in holynes before God oure father, at the commynge of oure Lorde Iesus Christ with all saynctes. ¶ The .iiii. Chapter. ¶ He exhorteth them to stedfastnesse, to kepe them selues from synne ∧ vnclenly conuersacyon to loue one another: rebuketh ydelnesse, ∧ speaketh of the resurreccyon.

A   Furthermore, we beseche you (brethren) and exhorte you by þe; Lord Iesus, þt; ye increace more ∧ more eu&ebar; as ye haue receaued of vs, how ye ought to walcke and to please God. For ye knowe, what c&obar;maundementes we gaue you by oure Lorde Iesu Christ. For this is the wyll of God ^note euen youre holynes, þt; ye shuld abstayne from fornicacy&obar;, ∧ that euery one of you shuld knowe ^note how to kepe his vessell in holynes and honoure, and not in the lust of concupiscence ^note as do the hethen which know not God, þt; nom&abar; oppresse and defraude his brother in bargaynyng: B   because þt; the Lord is the auenger of all soch thinges, as we tolde you before, and testifyed. Gor God hath not called vs vnto vncl&ebar;nes but vnto holynes. &cross3; ^noteHe therfore þt; despyseth, despyseth not man, but God, whych hath sent ^note his holy sprete amonge you. &cross3; &cross2; But as touchynge brotherly ^note loue, ye nede not, þt; I wryte vnto you. ^noteFor ye are taught of God, to loue one another. C   Yee and that thynge verely ye do vnto all þe; brethr&ebar; which are &ibar; all Macedonia. We beseche you brethren, that ye encreace more ∧ more, and that ye studye to be quyet, ∧ to medle with youre awne busynes, and ^note to worke wyth youre awne handes, as we c&obar;maunded you: that ye maye behaue youre selues honestly towarde them that are wythout, and that nothynge be lackynge vnto you. &cross3;

D   &cross2; I wolde not brethren that ye shulde be ignoraunt c&obar;cernynge them whych are fallen aslepe, that ye sorowe not as other do, whych haue ^note no hope. For yf we beleue, þt; Iesus dyed, ∧ rose agayne: euen so them also which slepe by Ies&us;, wyll God brynge agayne &wt; hym. For thys saye we vnto you in þe; worde of the Lorde, that we whych shall ^note lyue, ∧ shall remayne in the c&obar;mynge of the Lorde, shall not come yer they whych slepe. For the Lorde hym selfe shall descende from heau&ebar; with a showte ∧ the voyce of the ^note Archangell and tr&obar;pe of God. And the deed in Christe shall aryse fyrst: then we which shall lyue (euen we which shall remayne) shall be caught vp with them also in the cloudes, to mete the Lorde in the ayer. And so shall we euer be with the Lorde. Wherfore, comforte your selues one another &wt; these wordes. &cross3; ¶ The .v. Chapter. ¶ He enfourmeth them of the daye of dome, and commynge of the Lorde, exhorteth th&ebar; to wacth, and to regarde soche as preach Gods worde amonge them.

A   Finally of the tymes ∧ seasons (brethren) it is no nede that I wryte vnto you: for ye yourselues know perfectly, þt; ^note the daye of the Lord shall come, euen as a thefe in the nyght. For wh&ebar; they shall saye, peace and all thynges are safe, then shall ^note soden destruccyon come vp&obar; them (as sorowe commeth vpon a woman traualynge with chylde) ∧ they shall not scape: But ^note ye brethren are not in darcknes, þt; that daye shulde come on you as a thefe.

&cross2; Ye are all the chyldren of lyght, and the chyldr&ebar; of the daye. We are not of the nyght nether of darknes.

B    ^noteTherfore let vs not slepe as do other: but let vs wacth, ∧ be sober. For they that slepe, slepe in þe; nyght: ∧ they that be dr&obar;cken, are dr&obar;cken in the nyght. But let vs whych are of the daye, be sober ^note armed wyth the brest plate of fayth and loue, and with hope of saluacyon for an helmet. For God hath not appoynted vs to prouoke wrath vnto oure selues, but to obtayne saluacyon by the meanes of oure Lorde Iesu Christ ^note whych dyed for vs: that whether we wake or slepe, we shulde lyue together wyth him.

Wherfore, comforte your selues together, ∧ edifye euery one another, eu&ebar; as ye do. &cross3;

C   We beseche you brethren, that ye knowe them ^note whych laboure amonge you, and haue the ouersyght of you in the Lorde, ∧ geue you exhortacyon, that ye haue them in hye reputacyon thorowe loue, for theyr workes sake, and be at peace with them.

&cross2; We desyre you (brethr&ebar;) warne them þt; are vnruly, comforte the feble mynded, lyft vp the weake, be pacient towarde all men. ^noteSe that none recompence euyll for euyll vnto eny man: but euer folowe that whych is good, both amonge your selues, and to all men. ^note D   Reioyce euer. ^note&rhand; Praye contynually. In all thynges geue thankes. For this is the wyll of God thorowe Christ Iesu towarde you.

Qu&ebar;che not the sprete. ^noteDespyse not prophesyinges. Examen all thynges, kepe that which is good. Abstayne from all euell appearaunce. The very God of peace sanctifye you thorowe out. And I praye God þt; youre whole sprete, and soule and body, maye be preserued: so that in nothyng ye maye be blamed in th&ebar; commynge of oure Lorde Iesus Chryst.

^noteFaythfull is he whych called you, which wyll also do it. Brethr&ebar;, praye for vs. ^noteGrete all the brethr&ebar; wyth an holy kysse. I charge you in the Lorde, that this Epistle be red vnto all the holy brethren. ^noteThe grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ be wyth you. Amen. ¶ The fyrst Epistle vnto the Thessalonians was wrytten from Athens.

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