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^(C1)Paul, ^(C2)Silvanus, and ^(C3)Timothy, To the ^(C4)church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

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^(C1)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ought always ^(C1)to give thanks to God for you, ^(C2)brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the ^(C3)love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater.

As a result, we ourselves ^(C1)speak proudly of you among ^(C2)the churches of God for your ^(F1)perseverance and faith ^(F2)(C2)in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

This is ^(F1)a ^(C1)plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be ^(C2)considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you indeed are suffering.

^(F1)For after all ^(C1)it is only right ^(F2)for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,

and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, ^(F1)(C1)when the Lord Jesus will be revealed ^(C2)from heaven ^(C3)with ^(F2)His mighty angels

^(C1)in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who ^(C2)do not know God, and to those who ^(C3)do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

These people will pay the penalty of ^(C1)eternal destruction, ^(C2)away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

when He comes to be ^(C1)glorified among His ^(F1)saints on that ^(C2)day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—because our ^(C3)testimony to you was believed.

To this end also we ^(C1)pray for you always, that our God will ^(C2)consider you worthy of your ^(C3)calling, and fulfill every desire for ^(C4)goodness and the ^(C5)work of faith with power,

so that the ^(C1)name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we ask you, ^(C1)brothers and sisters, regarding the ^(F1)(C2)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our ^(C3)gathering together to Him,

that you not be quickly shaken from your ^(F1)composure or be disturbed either by a ^(C1)spirit, or a ^(F2)(C2)message, or a ^(C3)letter as if from us, to the effect that ^(C4)the day of the Lord ^(C5)has come.

^(C1)No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the ^(F1)(C2)apostasy comes first, and the ^(C3)man of lawlessness is revealed, the ^(C4)son of destruction,

who opposes and exalts himself above ^(F1)(C1)every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, ^(C2)displaying himself as being God.

Do you not remember that ^(C1)while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?

And you know ^(C1)what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time.

For ^(C1)the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only ^(F1)(C2)He who now restrains will do so until ^(F1)He is ^(F2)removed.

Then that lawless one ^(C1)will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate ^(C2)with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the ^(C3)appearance of His ^(F1)coming;

that is, the one whose ^(F1)coming is in accord with the activity of ^(C1)Satan, with all power and false ^(F2)(C2)signs and wonders,

and with ^(F1)all the deception of wickedness for ^(C1)those who perish, because they did not accept the love of ^(C2)the truth so as to be saved.

For this reason ^(C1)God ^(F1)will send upon them ^(F2)a ^(C2)deluding influence so that they will believe ^(F3)what is false,

in order that they all may be ^(F1)judged who ^(C1)did not believe the truth, but ^(F2)(C2)took pleasure in wickedness.

^(C1)But we should always give thanks to God for you, ^(C2)brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because ^(C3)God has chosen you ^(F1)from the beginning ^(C4)for salvation ^(F2)(C5)through sanctification ^(F3)by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

It was for this He ^(C1)called you through ^(C2)our gospel, ^(F1)that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So then, brothers and sisters, ^(C1)stand firm and ^(C2)hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether ^(C3)by word of mouth or ^(C3)by letter ^(F1)from us.

^(C1)Now may our Lord Jesus Christ ^(C1)Himself and God our Father, who has ^(C2)loved us and given us eternal comfort and ^(C3)good hope by grace,

^(C1)comfort and ^(C2)strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

^(C1)Finally, brothers and sisters, ^(C2)pray for us that ^(C3)the word of the Lord will ^(F1)spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it was also with you;

and that we will be ^(C1)rescued from troublesome and evil people; for not all have the faith.

But ^(C1)the Lord is faithful, ^(F1)and He will strengthen and protect you ^(F2)from ^(C2)the evil one.

We have ^(C1)confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you ^(C2)are doing, and will do, what we command.

May the Lord ^(C1)direct your hearts to the love of God and to the perseverance of Christ.

Now we command you, brothers and sisters, ^(C1)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you ^(F1)(C2)keep away from every brother or sister who ^(F2)leads a ^(F3)(C3)disorderly life and not one in accordance with ^(C4)the tradition which ^(F4)you received from us.

For you yourselves know how you ought to ^(F1)(C1)follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined way among you,

nor did we ^(C1)eat ^(F1)anyone's bread ^(F2)without paying for it, but with ^(C2)labor and hardship we kept ^(C3)working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;

not because we do not have ^(C1)the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves ^(C2)as a role model for you, so that you would ^(F1)follow our example.

For even ^(C1)when we were with you, we used to give you this order: ^(C2)if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

For we hear that some among you are ^(C1)leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like ^(C2)busybodies.

Now we command and ^(C1)exhort such persons in the Lord Jesus Christ to ^(C2)work ^(F1)peacefully and eat their own bread.

But as for you, ^(C1)brothers and sisters, ^(C2)do not grow weary of doing good.

If anyone does not obey our ^(F1)instruction ^(F2)(C1)in this letter, take special note of that person so as ^(C2)not to associate with him, so that he will be ^(C3)put to shame.

And yet ^(C1)do not regard that person as an enemy, but ^(F1)(C2)admonish that one as a ^(C3)brother or sister.

Now ^(C1)may the Lord of peace ^(C2)Himself continually grant you peace in every ^(F1)circumstance. ^(C3)The Lord be with you all!

^(F1)I, Paul, write this greeting ^(C1)with my own hand, and this is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write.

^(C1)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.