Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is the entire first
epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, chapters
1 through 5. Chapter 1. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
to the Church of the Thessalonians, in God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you
and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. We give thanks to God always for you
all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering
without ceasing your work of faith, labor of
love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ, in the sight of our God and Father, knowing,
beloved brethren, your election by God. For our
gospel did not come to you in word only, but
also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in
much assurance, as you know what kind of men
we were among you for your sake. And you became
followers of us and of the Lord, having received
the word in much affliction, with joy of the
Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all
in Macedonia and Achaia who believed. For from
you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not
only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every
place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so
that we do not need to say anything. For they
themselves declare concerning us what manner
of entry we had to you, and how you turned to
God from idols to serve the living and true God,
and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he
raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivers
us from the wrath to come. Chapter 2 For you
yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to
you was not in vain. But even after we had suffered
before and were spitefully treated at Philippi,
as you know, we were bold in our God to speak
to you the gospel of God in much conflict. For
our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness,
nor was it in deceit. But as we have been approved
by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even
so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who
tests our hearts. For neither at any time did
we use flattering words, as you know. nor a cloak
for covetousness, God is witness. Nor did we
seek glory from men, either from you or from
others, when we might have made demands as apostles
of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just
as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
So affectionately longing for you, we were well
pleased to impart to you not only the gospel
of God, but also our own lives, because you had
become dear to us. For you remember, brethren,
our labor and toil. For laboring night and day,
that we might not be a burden to any of you,
we preached to you the gospel of God. You are
witnesses in God also how devoutly and justly
and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you
who believe, as you know how we exhorted and
comforted and charged every one of you, as a
father does his own children, that you would
walk worthy of God who calls you into his own
kingdom and glory. For this reason we also thank
God without ceasing, because when you received
the word of God which you heard from us, you
welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it
is in truth, the word of God. which also effectively
works in you who believe. For you, brethren,
became imitators of the churches of God which
are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered
the same things from your own countrymen, just
as they did from the Judeans, who killed both
the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have
persecuted us. And they did not please God and
are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak
to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as
always to fill up the measure of their sins,
but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.
But we, brethren, having been taken away from
you for a short time in presence, not in heart,
endeavored more eagerly to see your face with
great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to
you, even I, Paul, time and again, but Satan
hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown
of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence
of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For you
are our glory and joy. to establish you and encourage
you concerning your faith, that no one should
be shaken by these afflictions, for you yourselves
know that we are appointed to this. For in fact
we told you before when we were with you that
we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened,
and you know. For this reason, when I could no
longer endure it, I sent to know your faith,
lest by some means the tempter had tempted you,
and our labor might be in vain. But now that
Timothy has come to us from you, and brought
us good news of your faith and love, and that
you always have good remembrance of us, greatly
desiring to see us, as we also to see you, therefore,
brethren, in all our affliction and distress,
we were comforted concerning you by your faith.
For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
For what thanks can we render to God for you,
for all the joy with which we rejoice for your
sake before our God? night and day praying exceedingly
that we may see your face and perfect what is
lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father
Himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our
way to you, and may the Lord make you increase
and abound in love to one another and to all,
just as we do to you, so that He may establish
your hearts blameless in holiness before our
God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ with all His saints. Chapter 4 Finally
then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord
Jesus that you should abound more and more, just
as you received from us how you ought to walk
and to please God. For you know what commandments
we give you through the Lord Jesus. For this
is the will of God, your sanctification, that
you should abstain from sexual immorality, that
each of you should know how to possess his own
vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion
of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God,
that no one should take advantage of. and defraud
his brother in this matter, because the Lord
is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned
you and testified. For God did not call us to
uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who
rejects this does not reject man, but God, who
has also given us his Holy Spirit. But concerning
brotherly love, you have no need that I should
write to you, for you yourselves are taught by
God to love one another. and indeed you do so
toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia.
But we urge you, brethren, that you increase
more and more, that you also aspire to lead a
quiet life, to mind your own business, and to
work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
that you may walk properly toward those who are
outside, and that you may lack nothing. But I
do not want you to be ignorant brethren concerning
those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow
as others who have no hope. For if we believe
that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will
bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. For
this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that
we who are alive and remain until the coming
of the Lord will by no means Therefore, comfort
one another with these words. But concerning
the times and the seasons, brethren, you have
no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves
know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes
as a thief in the night. For when they say peace
and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon
them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and
they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are
not in darkness, so that this day should overtake
you as a thief. you are all sons of light and
sons of the day you are not of the night nor
of darkness therefore let us not sleep as others
do but let us watch and be sober for those who
sleep sleep at night and those who get drunk
get drunk at night but let those who are of the
day be sober putting on the breastplate of faith
and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation
for God did not appoint us to wrath but to obtain
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who
died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we
should live together with him. Therefore comfort
each other and edify one another, just as you
also are doing. And we urge you, brethren, to
recognize those who labor among you, and are
over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to
esteem them very highly in love for their work's
sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort
you, brethren, warn those who are unruly. Comfort
the faint -hearted, uphold the weak, be patient
with all. See that no one renders evil for evil
to anyone, but always pursue what is good both
for yourselves and for all. Rejoice always, pray
without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Do not quench the spirit, do not despise prophecies.
Test all things, hold fast what is good. Abstain
from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace
himself sanctify you completely, and may your
whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who
calls you is faithful, who also will do it. Brethren,
pray for us. Greet all the brethren with a holy
kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle
be read to all the holy brethren. The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Ameen. I hope
you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did
and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow
to continue on our journey. God bless you and
have a great day.