Therefore encourage one another with these words.

I call on you solemnly in the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

As a result you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe.

because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins, but wrath has come upon them completely.

And so we too constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who believe.