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Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy: To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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We must always thank God for you, brothers, which is fitting, since your faith is flourishing, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.
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Therefore we ourselves boast about you among God's churches-- about your endurance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you endure.
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It is a clear evidence of God's righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God's kingdom, for which you also are suffering,
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since it is righteous for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
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and [to reward] with rest you who are afflicted, along with us. [This will take place] at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful angels,
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taking vengeance with flaming fire on those who don't know God and on those who don't obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
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These will pay the penalty of everlasting destruction, away from the Lord's presence and from His glorious strength,
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in that day when He comes to be glorified by His saints and to be admired by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.
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And in view of this, we always pray for you that our God will consider you worthy of His calling, and will, by His power, fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith,
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so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him: we ask you, brothers,
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not to be easily upset in mind or troubled, either by a spirit or by a message or by a letter as if from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has come.
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Don't let anyone deceive you in any way. For [that day] will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.
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He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God's sanctuary, publicizing that he himself is God.
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Don't you remember that when I was still with you I told you about this?
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And you know what currently restrains [him], so that he will be revealed in his time.
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For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way,
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and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of His mouth and will bring him to nothing with the brightness of His coming.
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The coming [of the lawless one] is based on Satan's working, with all kinds of false miracles, signs, and wonders,
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and with every unrighteous deception among those who are perishing. [They perish] because they did not accept the love of the truth in order to be saved.
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For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe what is false,
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so that all will be condemned-- those who did not believe the truth but enjoyed unrighteousness.
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But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
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He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, either by our message or by our letter.
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May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace,
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encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.
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Finally, pray for us, brothers, that the Lord's message may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you,
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and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not all have faith.
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But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one.
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We have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do what we command.
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May the Lord direct your hearts to God's love and Christ's endurance.
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Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother who walks irresponsibly and not according to the tradition received from us.
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For you yourselves know how you must imitate us: we were not irresponsible among you;
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we did not eat anyone's bread free of charge; instead, we labored and toiled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
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It is not that we don't have the right [to support], but we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate us.
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In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: "If anyone isn't willing to work, he should not eat."
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For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work [of others].
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Now we command and exhort such people, by the Lord Jesus Christ, that quietly working, they may eat their own bread.
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Brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.
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And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don't associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.
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Yet don't treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
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May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
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This greeting is in my own hand-- Paul. This is a sign in every letter; this is how I write.
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
