For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality,

to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you.

For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness.

For people everywhere report how you welcomed us and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

For you recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction.

exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory.

And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you,

And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.

We thank God always for all of you as we mention you constantly in our prayers,

We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,

For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed – God is our witness –

although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became little children among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children,

that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor,

For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night.

and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

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

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.