2 Thessalonians 1

Chapter 1

Greetings from Paul

1 This letter is from Paul, Silas,t and Timothy.
We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 May God our Fathert and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Encouragement during Persecution

3 Dear brothers and sisters,t we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.4 We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering.5 And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering.

6 In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.
7 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels,8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.

10 When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.
11 So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.

12 Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.t

2 THESSALONIANS 1

1  t From Paul, Silas, t and Timothy.
To the church in Thessalonica, the people of God our Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

When Christ Returns

4 This is why we brag about you to all of God's churches. We tell them how patient you are and how you keep on having faith, even though you are going through a lot of trouble and suffering.
5 All this shows that God judges fairly and is making you fit to share in his kingdom for which you are suffering. 6 It is only right for God to punish everyone who is causing you trouble, 7 but he will give you relief from your troubles. God will do the same for us, when the Lord Jesus comes from heaven with his powerful angels

8 and with a flaming fire.
Our Lord Jesus will punish anyone who doesn't know God and won't obey his message. 9 t Their punishment will be eternal destruction, and they will be kept far from the presence of our Lord and his glorious strength.

10 This will happen on the day when the Lord returns to be praised and honored by all who have faith in him and belong to him. This includes you, because you believed what we said.
11 God chose you, and we keep praying that God will make you worthy of being his people. We pray for God's power to help you do all the good things you hope to do and your faith makes you want to do. 12 Then, because of the undeserved grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, you will bring honor to the name of our Lord Jesus, and he will bring honor to you.