eng_aiv Amundson Interpretive Version 1 Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians 1 Thess 1 Thessalonians id=eng_aiv name=Amundson Interpretive Version (AIV) status=draft spec=USFM-USX 3.1.1 export=2026-11-02 char:add=translator-addition-italic char:wj=words-of-Jesus-as-received-unmapped note:f=footnotes para:r=parallel-passage-references para:d=psalm-superscriptions Greetings to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 1:1–4) Paul and Silvanus1.1 That is, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you⁺ and peace.1.1 BYZ and TR include from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always concerning all of you⁺, making mention in our prayers, unceasingly remembering before our God and Father your⁺ work of faith and labor of love, and the endurance of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, knowing, brothers beloved by God, your⁺ election, because our gospel came to you⁺ not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much full assurance, just as you⁺ know what we were among you⁺ on account of you⁺. And you⁺ became imitators of us and of the Lord, having accepted the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so as for you⁺ to become a pattern1.7 BYZ and TR patterns to all the believing ones in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you⁺ the word of the Lord has sounded forth not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place your⁺ faith toward God has gone out, so as for us to have no need to say anything. For they themselves report concerning us what kind of entrance we had to you⁺, and how you⁺ turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to await His Son from the heavens, whom He raised out from the dead—Jesus, the One delivering us from the coming wrath. Paul’s Ministry For you yourselves know, brothers, that our entrance to you⁺ has not been in vain. But having previously suffered and having been mistreated (just as you⁺ know) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you⁺ the gospel of God in much struggle. For our exhortation was not out of deceit, nor out of impurity, nor in trickery; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, the One proving our hearts. For neither at any time were we with a word of flattery, just as you⁺ know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness— nor seeking glory from men, nor from you⁺, nor from others, though having power to be with authority as apostles of Christ.2.6 Or although as apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you; SBL, NE, and WH include this phrase with verse 7. But we were gentle in your⁺ midst,2.7 WH and NA we were like young children among you as a nursing mother should cherish her own children. So yearning over you⁺, we were well pleased to have imparted to you⁺ not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you⁺ have become beloved to us. For you⁺ remember, brothers, our labor and toil: Working night and day in order not to be burdensome upon any of you⁺, we proclaimed to you⁺ the gospel of God. You⁺ are witnesses, and God, how devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we behaved toward you⁺, those believing, just as you⁺ know how, each one of you⁺, as a father his own children, we were exhorting and comforting you⁺ and charging unto you⁺ to walk worthily of God, the One calling you⁺ into His own kingdom and glory. And because of this, we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received the word of God, hearing from us, you⁺ accepted, not the word of men, but just as truly it is, the word of God, which also works in you⁺, those believing. For you⁺ became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God being in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you⁺ also suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they also did from the Jews, who, having killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets,2.15 BYZ and TR their own prophets and having driven us out; and they are not pleasing God and contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles so that they might be saved, so as to fill up their sins always. Now the wrath has come upon them to the end.2.16 Or at last the wrath has come upon them. Paul’s Longing to Visit But we, brothers, having been bereaved of you⁺ for the time of an hour—in face, not in heart—were more abundantly eager with much desire to see your⁺ face. Therefore we wanted to come to you⁺—indeed I, Paul, both once and twice—and Satan obstructed us. For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Or are not even you⁺, before our Lord Jesus2.19 GOC and TR our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you⁺ are our glory and joy. Timothy’s Visit Therefore, bearing it no longer, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker of God in the gospel of Christ,3.2 BYZ and TR Timothy, our brother and minister of God and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ in order to strengthen and to encourage you⁺ on behalf of your⁺ faith, that no one be disturbed in these tribulations. For you⁺ yourselves know that we are destined for this. For even when we were with you⁺, we were saying beforehand to you⁺ that we are about to suffer tribulation, just as also it came to pass, and you⁺ know. Because of this I also, bearing it no longer, sent in order to know your⁺ faith, lest somehow the one tempting had tempted you⁺, and our labor might be in vain. Timothy’s Encouraging Report But presently, Timothy having come to us from you⁺ and having brought good news to us of your⁺ faith and love, and that you⁺ have a good remembrance of us always, longing to see us just as also we you⁺, because of this, brothers, we were encouraged over you⁺ in all our hardship and tribulation,3.7 BYZ and TR tribulation and hardship because of your⁺ faith. For now we live, if you⁺ are standing firm in the Lord. For what thanksgiving are we able to recompense to God concerning you⁺ over all the joy with which we rejoice before our God because of you⁺, night and day imploring exceedingly in order to see your⁺ face and to complete the things lacking of your⁺ faith? Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus,3.11 BYZ and TR our Lord Jesus Christ; also in verse 13 direct our way to you⁺. And may the Lord cause you⁺ to increase and to abound in love for one another and for all, just as also we for you⁺, in order to strengthen your⁺ hearts, blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.3.13 SBL, WH, BYZ, and TR do not include Amen. Living to Please God Finally then, brothers, we ask and exhort you⁺ in the Lord Jesus that, just as you⁺ received from us how it is necessary for you⁺ to walk and to please God, just as also you⁺ walk,4.1 BYZ and TR do not include just as also you walk. that you⁺ may abound more. For you⁺ know what instructions we gave you⁺ through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God—your⁺ sanctification: for you⁺ to abstain from sexual immorality; for each of you⁺ to know how to possess his own vessel4.4 Or know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor, not in the passion of lust just as also the Gentiles, those not knowing God; not to go beyond and to take advantage of his brother in the matter,4.6 Or no one should ever harm or cheat his brother in this matter because the Lord is avenging concerning all these things, just as also we said before to you⁺ and earnestly testified. For God did not call us to impurity, but in sanctification. So then, the one setting this aside does not set aside man but God, the One also giving4.8 BYZ and TR God, who also gave His Holy Spirit to you⁺. Now concerning brotherly love, you⁺ have no need for one to write to you⁺, for you⁺ yourselves are taught by God to love one another. For also you⁺ are doing this to all the brothers, the ones in all Macedonia. But we exhort you⁺, brothers, to abound more, and to strive earnestly to live quietly and to do your own things, and to work with your⁺ own hands,4.11 SBL, TH, and WH your hands just as we commanded you⁺, so that you⁺ may walk properly toward those outside and may have need of no one. The Return of the Lord But we do not want4.13 TR I do not want you⁺ to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those having fallen asleep,4.13 Or those who sleep in death so that you⁺ should not be grieved, just as also the rest, those having no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also through Jesus God will bring with Him those having fallen asleep. For this we say to you⁺ in the word of the Lord, that we the living, remaining unto the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those having fallen asleep, because the Lord Himself with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we, the living remaining, will be caught up together with them in the clouds for the meeting of the Lord in the air; and so we will be always with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another in these words. The Day of the Lord (Zephaniah 1:7–18; Malachi 4:1–6; 2 Peter 3:8–13) Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you⁺ have no need to be written to you⁺. For you⁺ yourselves thoroughly know that the day of the Lord comes in this way, as a thief in the night. When5.3 BYZ and TR For when they may say, “Peace and security,” then suddenly destruction comes upon them, as the labor pains to her having in womb; and they shall not escape. But you⁺, brothers, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you⁺ like a thief.5.4 WH like thieves For5.5 BYZ and TR do not include For you⁺ are all sons of light and sons of day; we are not of night and not of darkness. So then, we should not sleep as the rest, but we should watch and we should be sober. For those sleeping, sleep by night; and those becoming drunk, get drunk by night. But we,5.8 GOC you being of the day, should be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet—the hope of salvation, because God did not set us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, the One having died for us, so that whether we may watch or we may sleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as also you⁺ are doing. Christian Living But we ask you⁺, brothers, to know those toiling among you⁺ and presiding over you⁺ in the Lord and admonishing you⁺, and to esteem them exceedingly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we exhort you⁺, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient toward all. See that no one shall repay to anyone evil for evil, but always pursue the good also to one another and to all. Always rejoice. Unceasingly pray. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God for you⁺ in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test all things. Hold fast to the good. Abstain from every form of evil. Final Blessings and Instructions Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you⁺ completely, and may your⁺ entire spirit and soul and body be kept blameless5.23 Or may your spirit, soul, and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is the One calling you⁺, who also will do it. Brothers, pray also5.25 BYZ and TR do not include also. for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I adjure you⁺ by the Lord for the letter to be read to all the5.27 BYZ and TR include holy. brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you⁺.5.28 BYZ and TR include Amen.