Letters to the Churches

even as ye have known, how each one of you, as a father his own children, we are exhorting you, and comforting, and testifying,

for your walking worthily of God, who is calling you to His own reign and glory.

Because of this also, we--we do give thanks to God continually, that, having received the word of hearing from us of God, ye accepted, not the word of man, but as it is truly, the word of God, who also doth work in you who believe;

for ye became imitators, brethren, of the assemblies of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because such things ye suffered, even ye, from your own countrymen, as also they from the Jews,

who did both put to death the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and did persecute us, and God they are not pleasing, and to all men are contrary,

forbidding us to speak to the nations that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always, but the anger did come upon them--to the end!

And we, brethren, having been taken from you for the space of an hour--in presence, not in heart--did hasten the more abundantly to see your face in much desire,

wherefore we wished to come unto you, (I indeed Paul,) both once and again, and the Adversary did hinder us;

for what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye before our Lord Jesus Christ in his presence?

for ye are our glory and joy.

Wherefore no longer forbearing, we thought good to be left in Athens alone,

and did send Timotheus--our brother, and a ministrant of God, and our fellow-workman in the good news of the Christ--to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith,

that no one be moved in these tribulations, for yourselves have known that for this we are set,

for even when we were with you, we said to you beforehand, that we are about to suffer tribulation, as also it did come to pass, and ye have known it ;

because of this also, I, no longer forbearing, did send to know your faith, lest he who is tempting did tempt you, and in vain might be our labour.

And now Timotheus having come unto us from you, and having declared good news to us of your faith and love, and that ye have a good remembrance of us always, desiring much to see us, as we also to see you,

because of this we were comforted, brethren, over you, in all our tribulation and necessity, through your faith,

because now we live, if ye may stand fast in the Lord;

for what thanks are we able to recompense to God for you, for all the joy with which we do joy because of you in the presence of our God?

night and day exceedingly beseeching, that we might see your face, and perfect the things lacking in your faith.

And our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you,

and you the Lord cause to increase and to abound in the love to one another, and to all, even as we also to you,

to the establishing your hearts blameless in sanctification before our God and Father, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

As to the rest, then, brethren, we request you, and call upon you in the Lord Jesus, as ye did receive from us how it behoveth you to walk and to please God, that ye may abound the more,

for ye have known what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus,