1 Thessalonians 1

Greeting

1 Paul, a Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the b Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: c Grace to you and peace.

The Thessalonians' Faith and Example

2 d We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly 1 e mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before f our God and Father g your work of faith and labor of h love and i steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, j brothers 2 loved by God, k that he has chosen you, 5 because l our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and m in the Holy Spirit and with full n conviction. You know o what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And p you became imitators of us q and of the Lord, for r you received the word in much affliction, s with the t joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord u sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth v everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of w reception we had among you, and how x you turned to God y from idols to serve the living and z true God, 10 and a to wait for his Son b from heaven, c whom he raised from the dead, Jesus d who delivers us from e the wrath to come.

  1. Cross References
    Acts 15:22
    Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers.
    2 Corinthians 1:19
    For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes.
    2 Thessalonians 1:1
    Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
    1 Peter 5:12
    By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.
  2. Cross References
    Acts 17:1
    Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
  3. Cross References
    Romans 1:7
    To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
  4. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 2:13
    And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
    Romans 1:8
    First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
    Ephesians 5:20
    Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  5. Cross References
    Romans 1:9
    For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you
    2 Timothy 1:3
    I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
  6. Cross References
    Galatians 1:4
    Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
  7. Cross References
    2 Thessalonians 1:11
    To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.
    John 6:29
    Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.
    Galatians 5:6
    For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
    Hebrews 6:10
    For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
    James 2:22
    You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.
  8. Cross References
    2 Thessalonians 1:3 - 4
    We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.
    Colossians 1:4
    Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints.
    1 Timothy 1:14
    And the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
    Revelation 2:19
    'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.
  9. Cross References
    Romans 8:25
    But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
    Romans 15:4
    For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
  10. Cross References
    2 Thessalonians 2:13
    But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
  11. Cross References
    2 Peter 1:10
    Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
  12. Cross References
    2 Thessalonians 2:14
    To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  13. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 6:6
    By purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love.
    1 Corinthians 2:4
    And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
  14. Cross References
    Colossians 2:2
    That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ.
    Hebrews 2:3
    How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard.
  15. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 2:10
    You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers.
    Acts 20:18
    And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia.
    2 Thessalonians 3:7
    For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you.
  16. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 2:14
    For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews.
    2 Thessalonians 3:7
    For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you.
    2 Thessalonians 3:9
    It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.
    1 Corinthians 4:16
    I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
  17. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 11:1
    Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
  18. Cross References
    Acts 17:5 - 10
    But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd.
  19. Cross References
    Matthew 5:12
    Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
  20. Cross References
    Acts 13:52
    And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
    Galatians 5:22
    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
  21. Cross References
    Romans 10:18
    But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.
    2 Thessalonians 3:1
    Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you.
  22. Cross References
    Romans 1:8
    First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
    Romans 16:19
    For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
    2 Thessalonians 1:4
    Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
  23. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 2:1
    For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.
  24. Cross References
    Acts 14:15
    Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
  25. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 12:2
    You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.
    Galatians 4:8
    Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.
  26. Cross References
    John 17:3
    And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
  27. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 1:7
    So that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  28. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 4:16
    For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
    2 Thessalonians 1:10
    When he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
    Acts 1:11
    And said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.
  29. Cross References
    Acts 2:24
    God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
  30. Cross References
    Colossians 1:13
    He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.
  31. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 2:16
    By hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved - so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God's wrath has come upon them at last!
    1 Thessalonians 5:9
    For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
    Matthew 3:7
    But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
    Romans 5:9
    Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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