Letters to the Churches

As ye knowe how that we exhorted you, and comforted, and besought euery one of you (as a father his children)

That ye would walke worthy of God, who hath called you vnto his kingdome and glorie.

For this cause also thanke we God without ceasing, that when ye receiued the worde of God, which ye heard of vs, ye receiued it not as the worde of men, but as it is in deede the worde of God, which also worketh in you that beleeue.

For brethren, ye are become folowers of the Churches of God, which in Iudea are in Christ Iesus, because ye haue also suffred the same things of your owne countrey men, euen as they haue of the Iewes,

Who both killed the Lord Iesus and their owne Prophets, and haue persecuted vs away, and God they please not, and are contrary to all men,

And forbid vs to preach vnto the Gentiles, that they might be saued, to fulfill their sinnes alwayes: for the wrath of God is come on them, to the vtmost.

For asmuch, brethren, as we were kept from you for a season, concerning sight, but not in the heart, we enforced the more to see your face with great desire.

Therefore we would haue come vnto you (I Paul, at least once or twise) but Satan hindered vs.

For what is our hope or ioye, or crowne of reioycing? are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming?

Yea, ye are our glory and ioy.

Wherefore since we could no longer forbare, wee thought it good to remaine at Athens alone,

And haue sent Timotheus our brother and minister of God, and our labour felow in the Gospel of Christ, to stablish you, and to comfort you touching your faith,

That no man should be moued with these afflictions: for ye your selues knowe, that we are appointed thereunto.

For verily when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulations, euen as it came to passe, and ye knowe it.

Euen for this cause, when I could no longer forbeare, I sent him that I might knowe of your faith, lest the tempter had tempted you in any sort, and that our labour had bene in vaine.

But now lately when Timotheus came from you vnto vs, and brought vs good tidings of your faith and loue, and that ye haue good remembrance of vs alwayes, desiring to see vs, as we also do you,

Therefore, brethren, we had consolation in you, in all our affliction and necessitie through your faith.

For nowe are wee aliue, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

For what thankes can wee recompense to God againe for you, for all the ioy wherewith we reioyce for your sakes before our God,

Night and day, praying exceedingly that wee might see your face, and might accomplish that which is lacking in your faith?

Nowe God himselfe, euen our Father, and our Lord Iesus Christ, guide our iourney vnto you,

And the Lord increase you, and make you abound in loue one toward another, and towarde all men, euen as we doe toward you:

To make your hearts stable and vnblameable in holines before God euen our Father, at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his Saints.

And furthermore we beseeche you, brethren, and exhort you in the Lord Iesus, that ye increase more and more, as ye haue receiued of vs, how ye ought to walke, and to please God.

For ye knowe what commandements we gaue you by the Lord Iesus.