1

IIII 35 1 THE S SA LO NIANS 3:5

I
you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News
but ou r whole lives as well. -Let me remind you, brothers, how hard we used to 4:1 1
Ac 18:3 +
work, slaving night and day so as net to be a burden on anyone of you while 2 Th 3:7-9

10 we were proclaiming God's Good News to you .• You are witnesses, and so Ac20:18
2 Co 4:4
is God, that our treatment of you , since you became believers, has been impeccably
11 right and fair. - You can remember how we treated everyone of you as a fat her 1 C04:15
Phm 10
12 treats his children, -teaching you what was right, encouraging you and appealing Ph 1:27

1 THESSALONIANS to you to live a life worthy of God, who is calling:' you to share the glory of his
kingdom .
Mt4:17 -+
2 T m 2:10
I P 5:10

The faith and the patience of the- Thessalonians

TH E FIRST LETTER OF PA UL I' Anot her reaso n why we consta ntly thank G od for you is tha t as soon as you
heard the message that we bro ught you as God's message, you accepted it for what I Co 11:2 + ;
TO TH E CH URCH I N THES SALO NIKA it rea lly is, God's messaged and not some human thinking; and it is still- a living
15:1
E.I:13
Ph 4:9
H power among you who believe it. -For you, my brothers, have been like the Rm I:I6
H ob 4:12
churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judaea, in suffering the same I Co 1:2+
R m 1:1 + Address 2 T h 3:7 -;-
2Th 1:1-2 15 treatment fro m your own countrymen as they have suffered from the Jews,! ·the
From Pau l, Silvanus a nd Timothy, to the Ch urch in Thessalonika which is in Mt 23:29-J7
Ac 15:22 + ;
16:1 + 1 God the Father and the Lord Jes us Ch rist; wish ing yo u grace and peace ."
people who put the Lord Jes us to death, and the prophets too. And now they have
been persecuting us, and acti ng in a way that ca nnot please God and ma kes them
A c 2:23-24 +

IJ)
2 Th 1:3
16 the ene mies of the whole human race. •beca use they are hinderin g us from "'w
Thanksgiving and congratulations Gn 15:16 "-:I:
preac hing to the pagan s and trying to save them. T hey never stop tryi ng to fi nish 2 M 6:14
f-
Ph 1:3 We always mention you in our prayers and thank God for you all, -and ojf the sins they ha ve begun, but retributions is overta king them at last. M t 23:32
5:8
1 Co 13; 13+
co nstantly remember before God our Father how you have shown your fai th in
Rv 2:2 actio n, wor ked for love and perseve red th roug h hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ. Pa ul's anxi ety
<';l~
2 T il 2; 13 We know, bro thers, that God loves you and that you have been chosen, 3:10 - f-
4 17 A short time after we had been sepa rated from you-i n body but never in Col 2: 1. 5
Ac 20: 18 beca use when we bro ught the Good News" to you, it ca me to you not only as
I Co 2:4
5 thoug ht. brothers-- we had an especially strong desire and long ing to see you face Rm I :W-11
2Col2: 12
AcI:8+
words, but as pow er and as the Holy Spirit and as utter conviction. And you IN to face agai n, -a nd we tried hard to come and visit you ; I , Pau l, tr ied more than
observed the sor t of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your I~ o nce, but Sata n prevented us. •What do you think is our pride and our joy? You 2 T h 2:9 +
Ac 17: 1·9 instructio n, -and you were led to become imita tors of us, and of the Lord; and arc ; and you will be the crown of which we shall be proudest in the presence of our E zk 16: 12;
...
!::
2 Th 3:7+ 23:42
3:3 it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the gospel, in spite of the 20 Lord Jesus when he com es ; ' you a re our pride and our jo y. Pr 16:31
Rm 14:17 I C o 9:25 +
Ga 5:22 great opposition all ro und you. •This has ma de you the great example to all Ph 2:16
2Th 1:4 1:10+ ~
believers in Macedonia and Acha ia -s ince it was from you that the word of the Timothy's mission to Thessalonika 1 Co 15:23+

3
:I:
2Co 1:14 + Q.
R ml:8 Lord started to spr ead - and not only th ro ughout Macedonia and Achaia, for I When we co uld not bear the waiting any longer , we decided it would be best
the news of you r faith in God has sp read everywhere . We do not need to tell ot her to be left without a companion at Athen s, a nd -sent our brother Timothy, AcI7:1<\-
16+
peo ple about it : -other peopl e tell us how we sta rted the work among you , how 9 who is God's helper" in spr eading the G ood News of Christ, to keep you firm and J CoJ:O
2C06:1 III
1:6 W
Ac3: 19~­
Ga4:8
you br oke with ido latry when you were conve rted to God and becam e servants strong in the faith -and prevent any of you from being unsett led by the present :I:
2:19-20:
4:16-17 ;
of the real, living God; -and how you are now wa iting for Jesus, his Son, who m 10 4 troubles. As you know, these arc bound to come our way: -w hen we were with
5:9 he raised from the dead , to co me from heaven to save li S from the retribution - you, we warned you that we must expect to have perse cutions to bear, and that MI16:24;>
Mt3:7+ Ac 14:22
R m 2:5 r; is what has happened now, as you have found out. -That is why, when I could Rm 8:36
which is coming. 5
5:9
not sta nd waiting any longe r, I sent to assur e myself of your faith : I was afra id
2 Th 1:5
2Tm 3:12 ,~
Hob 10:32.3 6
Paul's exam ple in Thessaloni ka
1 a. A dd. ' (rom G od ou r F ather and th e Lord Jesu s me saa ge is ~rsc 'received" 4 :1; 2 Th 3:6 ; 1 Co 15: 1;
Yo u know yours elves, my brothers, that our visit to you has no t prov ed
2
C hr ist '. cf. 2 Th J:2. G . 1:9 ; Ph 4:9 ; Col 2:6, or 'heard' , Rm 10:17+;
b. Var . 'the Good New s of God',.or 'of our God', Ep 1:13 ; Ac IS:7. e tc. It then penet rates the mind or
ineffectual. Th e Go od News is more than a pr oclamation. It Is the he art . Rm 10:8- 10. where If It Is welcomed, 1:6:
Q.

Ac 16:19-40 We had, as you know, been given rough treatment and been grossly insulted 2 who le new econ omy o f salvat ion . 2 T h 2:10 ; 2 Co 11:4 : Ac 8:14, etc . Mk 4:20 . It proves ~
Ph 1:30 c. Lit. 'w ra th' . Vv. 9- 10 seem to Mlve an extremely th a t the hea re r ack now ledges that God ha s bee n sPeake
Ac 13:46 +
at Philippi, and it was our God who gave us the courage to pro claim his G oo d co nd ense d sum ma ry of Pa ul' s cha racterts t!c -e rcc tam- Ina th ro u gh his rrussto nar v, 4: lf: 2 Co 3:5: 15:3 .
2 Co 3; 12 News to you in the face of great oppositio n . •We hav e not taken to preaching 3 a no n' . T he two ma in clement s o f t he G ood N ews e. Or ' h as bec o me' : G od ac ts throu gh h is messaae
as pre ached by Paul were ; his emp hasi s o n monotbelam, that ha s been we lcomed by the be liever. cr. 1:8 :
Ep 3:7 because we are deluded, or immo ra l, or trying to deceive anyone ; -it was God 4 and th e p ro mine nce he gtves to th e: ret urn o f the risen 2 T h 3: 1.
') Z
1 Tm 1;11 who decided that we were fit to be entrusted with the Good News, and when we Lord. d . Rm 1:1-4 ,2or: 1 Co 1:18.21 : Ga I :Jf; 3: 1 ; r. T he harsh to ne of vv. 15- 16 gives a good idea of "I'
AI; 1-1.:15 · 17; 17:21·31. etc, how bitter th e a tmosphere was in Je ru sa lem. Mt 5:12;
Jr 11;20 are speaking, we are not tryi ng to please men but God, who can read our inmo st
2 Co 4: 2 ; 5;9 2 a. U I. ' beiu x a b le: to he with weighc as a pos tles of 21:33-46 ; 23:29-37 ; Ac 2:23 + . ow in g to the way Paul
Ga 1;10 thoughts. • You know very well, and we can swear it before God, that never at C hris c' : inrcm rcred morally . t his can mean chal Pa ul u PSC"1 rhe Jewish co mmu nity by preach in g to pagans
RmI:9 co u lJ hav e Ins rste d on h is own dla nit y a nd cree uee , v. 16; cr . Ac 13:5 + . Later on Pa u l was a ble to cake a
any time have our speeches been simply flattery, or a cover for try ing to get money ; o r tn at m a leria lly he co uld ha ve e xpe cted to ha ve bee n more ba lanced altitude than he t akes he re . by frequent
In 5:41,44 nor have we ever looked for any special honou r fr om men, either from you or 6 fell and "'CP I a t their expense, cf . 2:9: 2 T h 3:9 : referen ces to t he spec ta t po sicion of God's chosen
2 ('0 I I : q , peop le , d. R m 9: 11: G a 4: 21-3 1. He tr ied ' har d
anybody else, 'when we could have imposed ourselves on you with full weight, 7 b. Lit. 'babies" : var. ' gent le' , to rec oncile convert paean with Jewish C hr tsttan ,
as apostles of Christ." cr. 1 C o 16:1+ ; En 2: 11-22 .
&. Lit , "th e w rat h'; ad d ' o f God' .
1 Co 3:2
0.4:19 Ins tead, we were unassuming." Like a mo ther feedin g and looking after her own c. Var. 'calle d )'ou' , J a . Om . 'who Is God's helper'. var. 'w ho Is God's
Rm9:3 chil dren, 'we felt so devo ted and protective towards you, and had come to love d. A brief s um mary of the apostolic crldhlon: the slave" or 'God', slave and our helPer'.
l~
0.2;20+
 3:6 1 THESSALO NIANS 35 2 353 TH ESSAL O N IA NS 5: 18
th e Tempter> might have tried you too hard, and all our work might have been come like a thie f in the night. -It is when peopl e are saying, 'How quiet and Rv 3:3...
J r6:14
wasted. peaceful it is' tha t the wors t sudde nly ha ppens, as suddenly as lab our pains come Jr4:31+
o n a preg nant woman; and there will be no way for anybody to evade it. "I t 24:8 +
Paul thanks God for good reports of the Thessalonians Lk 21:34-35
4 But it is not as if you live in the dar k, my br others, for that Days to o vertake ED 5:8-9
2 T h 1:3; However, Timothy is now back from you and he has given us good news of In 8: 12+
2 :15 ·~ 5 yo u like a th ief. •No, you are all so ns of light and so ns of the day : we do not belong
2 Co 7:7 your faith and your love, telling us that you always remember us with pleasure "I t 24:42+
6 to the night or to da rkn ess, -so we should not go on sleeping, as everyo ne else R m 13:12-13
and want to see us qu ite as much as we want to see you. -An d so, brothers, your does, but stay wide awake and so ber. • Night is the time for sleepers to sleep and 1 P 1:13; 4:
7; S:S
faith has been a great comfort to us in the middle of our own troubles and sorrows; drunkards to be dru nk, • but we belong to the day and we should be sober; let us Ep 6: JJ
now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord.• How can we put o n faith an d love fo r a breastplate, and the ho pe of salvation for a helmet. 1:3
2 Th -2:15 Is 59: 17
Rv 2:9-10 thank God enough for you, for all the joy we feel before our G od on your account? 9 G od never meant us to exper ience the Retri butio n, but to win salvation through I Co l3:l3-t
1:10+
2:17 We are earnestly praying niglll and day to be ab le to see you face to face agai n and 10 10 o ur Lor d Jesus Christ, -who died for us so that, alive or dead," we sho uld still live 4:14+
make up any shortcomings" in your faith. 11 united to him. -So give encouragement to each other, and keep strengthening one
2 Th 2:16- 17 Ep 2:20
May Go d our Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, make it easy for us II
another , as you do already.
5:15 to come to you . •May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and ma ke you 12
Rm 12:17
Ga 6:10 love one another and the who le human race" as muc h as we love you . -And may 13 Some demands made by life in community
2 Th 1:3
T t 3:2 he so confirm your hearts in hol iness that you may be blameless in the sight of our 1 Co 16:16
5:23 12 We a ppeal to you, my brothers, to be considerate to those who are worki ng I Tm S:17
Z c 14:5 God and Fa ther when o ur Lord Jesus Christ co mes with all his saints.' Tt 1:5 +
1 Co 1:8 +; 13 amo ngst you and are above yo u in th e Lo rd as your teachers. -H ave t he great est Heb 13:17
15:23 + Ga6:6
respect and affection for th em because of their work.
Live in holiness and cha rity
14 Be at peace am on g yourselves.• And th is is what we ask you to do, broth ers:
2 Th 3:6 Finally, bro thers, we urge you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus" to make Rm 14:1
2:13+
R m 12:1-2
I Co 11:2+
4 mo re an d mo re progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life
tha t G od wants, as you learnt from us, and as you are already living it. You 2
warn the idlers, give courage to those who are a pprehensive, car e for the wea k an d
15 be patient with everyone. • Make sure tha t people do not try to take revenge;
2 T h 3:6- 12
Ex 21:25 +
MI 5:3Sf
R m 12:17
b • 16 yo u must all th ink of what is best for each other an d for the comm unity. -Be Co l 3:12- 13 0

have not for gotten th e instructions we gave you on the aut hor ity of the Lo rd Jesus. : ~ ha ppy at all times; -p ray constantly; -and for all things give thanks to God, Ph 1:4+
5:18 Ep5:20
"It 6:10 Wha t G od wants is for you all to be holy.« He want s you to keep away from 3 beca use th is is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus. CO;f ~
Ep 1:4
1 Co 6: 12-20 fornication, -a nd each one of you to know how to use the body tha t belongs to 4
4:3 -,. .
b . 'T empler' , i.e. 'S a tan ' as in 2:18. cr. Mk l :l 3. cf. Dn 7; 1. 13.16.
him« in a way that is holy and honourab le, -n ot giving way to selfish lust like the c . T hi s wou ld refer to gaps in th ei r kno wledge of L ' us' ; Pa ul inclu des himself a mon g th ose who will
Jr 10:25 pagans who do not k now God. • He wants no body at all ever to sin by taki ng advan- C h r is tia n d octr ine, as we ll as eaps in their code o f be pr ese nt a t th e oarousta: mo re by aspira tio n, howe ver .
Ps 79 :6
D r 32:35 C h ris t ia n behavio ur . cf. R m 14:1; 2 Co 10: 15 ; Ph 1:25. t han by co nvict io n, cf. 5:1 +.
tage of a brother in these matters ; th e Lo rd always pun ishes sins of tha t sort, as
Ps 94:1-2
we to ld you before and assu red you .• We have been called by God to be holy, 7
d . Bro therl y love of on e a no the r in t he C hristia n
comm un ity is o nly th e begin ni ng of chari ty; it has to
j . T he tr um pet, vo ice and clo ud s were tra dition a l
sig ns tha t accom panied manifesta tion s of God.
~
'In 17:19
SPread to lo ve fo r t he who le hum an rac e. cf , Ex 13:32 + : 19:16 + a nd th ey were ado pted as
Lk 10:16 not to be immoral; -i n ot her words, anyone who o bjects is not o bjec ting to a e. Add . ' Am en' . Ho liness . 4:3 + . beg ins with co nven tio na l ele ments of apocalypt ic literature.
Ez k 37: 14
2 T h 2:13 human a utho rity, but to God, who gives yo u his Holy S pirit.' b rothe rl y lo ve but will not be pe rfect ti ll the parousia . cf . "I t 24:3 0f +; 2 T h 1:8 + .
Is 54: 13 In t his co ntex t 'sai nts ' ca n re fe r to th e cho sen. the saved k . Om . '(we) who ar e st ill ali ve", ::l:
J r 31:33-34 As for loving our brot hers, there is no need for anyo ne to write to you a bout or th e ang els, Ac 9: 13-l-. I, O f all th e det ail s given here: tha t the dea d will
:I:
n,
In 6:45 ; that, since you have learn t from Go d yourselves to love one another, -a nd in fact 10 4 a , Pa ul spea ks ' in ' ( v. L) 'by' (v.2) o r ' in the nam e answ er th e summons by retu rn ing to life, th at t hey a nd
13:34 +
1 In 4:7 of ' C h rist. cf. 4:15 ; 2 T h 3:6.12. His do ctrine on moral t he livin g will be ta ken to mee t t he Lo rd . a nd th a t they
this is what you are doing with all the brot hers th roughout the who le of be ha viour whic h is based on the ear liest Ch ris tian wi ll accom pa ny him to the iu d gem ent wit h which the
2 T h 1;3
Macedonia. However, we do urge you, brothers, to go on makin g even grea ter teac hing invest s ord inary day-to-day life with a new etern al kingdom be gins, t he essenti a l o ne is th e last: III
2:9 dept h: it ha s t he seal of C h rist o n it , Co l 3: 18 -t-, e terna l life with Ch rist, cf. 5:10; 2 Th 2:1. That is to be W
Ac 18:3 + prog ress -a nd .to mak e a point of living quietly , att endin g to your own busin ess II
b. O m. 'a nd as yo u ar e already living it'. the 'sa lva tio n' , th e ' glory' , t he 'ki ngdom ' that Jesus :I:
Ep 4:28 and ea rn ing your living, ju st as we to ld you to , -so tha t you are seen to
2 Th 3:6- 12 12 c , I t is the wilt of God , cr. Mt 6:10, th a t makes sha res a mo ng his chos en foUower s.
1 Co 5: 12 + peop le ho ly, vv, 3,7 ; 2 Th 2:13; Ep 1:4. It is God who 5 8 , Pa ul a sse rts th at he ha s no ide a whe n the Last
bc respecta ble by those ou tside the Church, th ough you do not have to depend makes the m holy, 5:23; I Co 6:1 1. C hris t has made D ay will come, and he merely repeats wha t the Lor d
on them. him self o ur ' ho liness'. 1 Co 1:30. T he Ho ly Sp irit is sa id. M t 24:36p ; AC 1:7, abo ut havin g to stay awake
invo lved In mak ing us holy, v.8; 2 T h2: 13; I Co6:11. till It co mes, "I t 24:42p,5 0 ; 2S:13. T he Da y of t he Lo rd , ~
d. Lit . 'ea ch o ne of you to 'k now' (or 'be able') to 1 Co 1:8 + , will co me like a t hief, cf . "It 24:43 p . so It
The dead and the living at the time of the Lord's coming! possess th e vess el of hi m self ir sa nctiflcation and is nece ssa ry to stay awake. v.s , cr . Rm 13:11:
ED 2:12 ho no ur ' , 'Vesse l' means 'wife ' in 1 P 3:7 a nd man y 1 Co 16:13 ; Co l4:2 ; I P 1;13; 5:8; Rv 3:2f; 16:15. It
C ol 1:27 We want you to be quite certain, bro thers, ab o ut thos e who ha ve died,' to ma ke 13
rabbinic texts, but it means ' bod y' in 5:23 : cf. Rm 12: 1: wil1 come soon, 2 Co 6:2 +. A t flrst Pa ul expected he
sure that yo u do not grieve about them, like the o ther people who have no hope . 1 C06: 19. wo uld live to see the Last D ay. I T h 4:17 : cf . 1 Co 15:51 ; o,
Rm 1:4 '1 ;
8:11+; We believe that Jes us died and rose aga in, an d tha t it will be the same for those 14 e , Ezek iel foretold that the Spirit would be given he late r realised he might die before It. 2 C o 5:3: Ph 1:23. ~
10:9 + to the messia nic people: this reference draws attention and he warns people it will no t co me as soon as they
1 Co 15: who have died in Jes us: God will bri ng them with him.• We can tell you this fro m 15 to the co ntinuity betwee n the ch u rch of Thessalonik a tho ught . 2 Th 2:1f. Mo re tha n a nyt hing , th e prospect
1+ .20 a nd th e giving of thi s gifl to the ea rly C hristian co mmon- of how lo ng it would ta ke to convert t he pa gan s,
I Co 15:51 the Lord's own teaching," that any of us' who are left alive until the Lo rd's com ing
I Co 15 :23 ity, Ac 2: 16C, 33.38 et c. On the gift of the Spirit to th e Rm II :25, mad e it cer tai n th at the La st Day would not
MI24:3ll- will not have any adv antage over those who have died. -At the tr umpet of God, i6 spirit of each believer, cf. Rm 5:5 + . co me fo r a very long tim e. cf'. Mt 25:19 ; LIc. 20:9:
31 + the voice of the archangel will call out the co mmand and the Lord himse lf will t, T he co nver ts in Th essa lo nika had ob vious ly 2 P 3:4.
1 Co 15:52 + ~ .,
2 T h 1:7f been worried abou t th is and un certa in what the b. 'a bo ut times an d sea so ns' : a cliche. cf. Ac
co me down fro m heaven ;' those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, C h ristian pos it ion was. Replying to th eir Questions Pa ul 1:7 -t-, un der lyin g which is th e idea of God as
and then those of us who a re still alive" will be ta ken up in the clou ds, toge ther 17 affirms the fund am ent a l doc trine of th e res urrec t ion so outs ide tim e a nd ye t a s con tr olling it a nd its d ivis ions.
as to st re ng the n t he fait h an d hope of a ll th e co nvert s. Ac 17:26.
with them, to meet the Lo rd in the air. So we shall stay with the Lo rd for ever.' K, Li t. 'we do not wish you to be igno rant . bro thers,
With such tho ughts as t hese you should comfort one another. 18 co ncerni ng th e sleeping'. T he eup hem ism was co mm on c . Me ntio n of 'the Day' wit ho ut fu rther ouann-
in t he O .T ., th e N .T ., a nd in Greek lit er a ture: th e cat ion. 1 Co 1:8 + , helps Paul to in tr oduce the menti o n
na tural con com itant was to call the res urr ection (t o new of ligh t and day and co nt ras t ' wakefulness' with th e
Watchfulness while awaiting the coming of the Lord" life o r fro m dea th) an ' awaken ing'. dar k, ni ght and sleep (in a d ifferent sense from 4:130,
Dn2:21 h. N o precise reference in t he written go spels ca n and also make t he contrast be twee n C hris tia ns (so ns
Yo u w ill not be expecting us to write anything to you , broth ers , abo ut 'times
Ac 1:8 +
M t 14: 36 .43
2 P 3:10 S and seasons'," -since you know very well that the Da y of the Lord is going to
be given for thi s saying of Jesu s, but cr. Mt 24 with
vv, 15· 17. Per hap s Pa ul is relyin g here on th e a utho rity
he had been given by the visio n on th e Da masc us road,
of th e light) and others (son s of darkness), cr. In 8:12 -r.
d . Li t. ' awa ke or asl eep' in sa me sense a s 4: 14-17:
al l the faithful will share in the final sa lva tion. II

"
 5: 19 1 THE S SAL O NI AN S 354
/c~OI~?;b t Never try to sup press the Spirit -or treat the gift of pro phecy wit h contempt; ~g
Jb 1:1.8 : 2: 3 thi nk before you do anyt hing-hold on to what is good -and avoid every for m of H
evil.

Closing prayer and farewell

Is 11:6 +
2 T h 3:16 May the God of peace mak e you perfect a nd holy; and may you a ll be kept 23
3: /J I·
safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, e for the co ming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Co 1:9 t-
2 T h 3:3
2 Th 3:1
R m 15:30 +
G od has called you and he will no t fail you.
Pray for us, my brothers.
24
25
2 T H E SSA LO NI ANS
2 Co 13:1 2 1- Greet all the bro thers with the holy kiss.• My order s, in the Lord's name, ~~
('014 :16 are that this letter is to be read to all the! brothers. T HE SECOND LETTER OF P A UL
The grace of our Lord Jesus C hrist be with you.' 28

TO T HE CHU R CH I N THESSA LON IKA

1 T h 1:1
Address
Fro m Pau l, Silvan us and Timothy, to the Church in T hessalonika which is in Ac 15:22 +:

1 G od our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ ; -wish ing you grace a nd peace
16:1 +

fro m God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and encouragement. The Last Judgement
We feel we must be conti nually thanking God for you, brothers; quite right ly, 1 Th 1:2

beca use yo ur faith is grow ing so wonderfully and the love that you hav e for one I T h 3:6-12
1 Til 3:12 :
4 a not her never stops increasing; -and amo ng t he chu rches of G od we can take 4:9-10 ~ ~
Ac 14:22 - l-
specia l pride in you for your consta ncy a nd faith under all the persecuti ons and I Co 1:2 +
I Th 1:7-8 :
troubles you have to bear. - It all shows that G od's judgemen t is j ust, and the 2:19-20

purpose of it is tha t yo u may be fou nd worthy of the kingdom of G od; it is for the M t4:17 +
1 Th 2:14;
3:4 , I-
sa ke of this that you are su ffering now . i=
G od will very rightly repay with injury tho se who a re injur ing you, -a nd reward Ph 1:28
R~' 14:13
you, who are suffering now, with the same peace as he will give us, a when the Lord
Jesus appears from heaven wit h the angels of his power. • He will co me in flaming I Co 1:7 + :li
Ex 3:2 J:
fire " to impose the penal ty on all who do not acknowledge God and refuse to accept Is 66:15 0-
Jr 10:25
the Good News of our Lor d Jes us." -It will be t heir punishment to be lost eter- b66:4
R m 1:5 +
na lly, excluded f rom the presence of the Lord and fro m the glory of his strength Is 2: 10
10 on that day when -he com es to be glorified among his saints and seen in his glory Is 2:11 7;
R1 m
49 :3 : 66:5 UJ
Ps (LXX)68: J:
by all who believe in him ;" an d you are believers, through our witness .' 34: 89:7
II K nowing this, we pra y cont inua lly tha t our God will make you worthy of his
call, and by his powe r fulfil all yo ur! desires for goo dness and complete all that Ph 2:13

12 yo u ha ve been do ing through faith; • becau se in this way the name of our Lord Is 66:5:
24:15 ~
Jes us C hrist will be glorified in you and you in him, by the grace of ou r God and the In 17:JO,U ~

Lord Jes us C hrist.

0-
The coming of the Lord and the prelude to it a
~
To turn now, brothers, to the comi ng of our Lo rd Jesus Christ and how we M ' 24:31 +

2 sha ll all be gathered rou nd him: -p lease do not get excited too soon or
alarmed by any pred iction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us,
1 Co 15:23
I Th 4: 15- 17
3:17

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~ ..,
1 a . Pa ul o ften compares h is own s it u at ion with th at e . Vv.6-1 0 form a pa re n thes is, v. Ll foll o ws o n
o f th e ch u rc hes h e is writ ing to . cr. 1 T h 2:3: I Co 4:8 ; from v.s.
Ph 1:30. etc. f. Or 'hi s'
b. Heav en. ct. 1 Th 4:16. the a nge ls, cr. M t 13:39. 2 a . In 1 T h 4: 13-5:11 Pa u l avoided su ggesting
4 1.49 : 16:270 : 24:31: 25: 31: Lk 12:8f (and p ro ba b ly an ything t hat wo uld indica te whe n th e parousia would
t he ' sa int s ' o f 1 Th 3: 13), the ' fire' of va rious ta ke p lace . cr. 1 Th 5: 1 +. O bvio us ly rep lyin g to fu r ther
theo phanles. cr. Ex 13:22 +; 19:16 + . a re all con ven - Ques tions . Pa u l d oe s not now re pea t all he said. about ..,
5 c . Pau l see ms to have dev elo ped no coh erent system givi ng him new life in union with C h r is t. Rm 5:5 +. or t io na l e le me n ts o f apo cat ynr ic li te rature, cr. 1 T h 4:16 +. wha t wou ld happen to t he livi ng and the dead : a ll he is
o f a n th ro nol o a y: th is is th e on ly p lace he men tions a more probably a s the innerm ost dep ths of the human c. I.e . both p aga ns. 1 Th 4:5. an d Jews. R m 10:16 . co nce rn ed with is to em p has ise t ha t th e coming is no t
tr ipa r t ite divi sio n of bo dy (cf. Rm 7:24 + ). so ul bei ng , open a nd awake to the Sp ir it. cf. Rm 1:9 4 ), d . Pa u l he re see m s to be th inki ng of a ng els (the imminent. a nd tha t it ca n no t take place t ill certain
(cr. I Co 15:44 -1-) and s p ir it (w hi ch can be take n in 'sa ints' , cr . Ac 9: 13+> and C h ris tia ns ('those who specific srees h av e p rece ded it .
f . Vu lg . inserts 'holy '.
two ways: as the div ine pre senc e in a human be ing, 2 . A d d . (V ulg.) 'A m e n' be lie ve').
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