1 Thessalonians 1

KJV · Chapter 1/5

1Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

4Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

5For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

6And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

7So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

9For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

10And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Paul thanks God for the faith, love, and hope of the Thessalonian church, recalling how the gospel came to them with power. He praises the example the Thessalonians became for other churches in the region.

Explanation

Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia, an important commercial city on the Via Egnatia. Paul founded this church during a brief visit (Acts 17) and soon had to flee because of persecution, which left him concerned about their steadfastness in the faith. This letter, likely one of the earliest Paul wrote, begins by celebrating that their faith did not remain mere words but became visible in works of love and perseverance, to the point of becoming an example for the whole region. Today this reminds us that genuine faith always shows itself in concrete actions, not just good intentions.

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