2 THESSALONIANS

Chapter 1

Greetings from Paul

1 This letter is from Paul, Silas,[1][Greek Silvanus. ] and Timothy.
     It is written to the church in Thessalonica, you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
        2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Encouragement during Persecution

3 Dear brothers and sisters,[2][Greek Brothers. ] we always thank God for you, as is right, for we are thankful that your faith is flourishing and you are all growing in love for each other.
4 We proudly tell God's other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering.
5 But God will use this persecution to show his justice. For he will make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering,
6 and in his justice he will punish 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 everlasting destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power
10 when he comes to receive glory and praise from his holy people. And you will be among those praising him on that day, for you believed what we testified about him.
        11 And so we keep on praying for you, that our God will make you worthy of the life to which he called you. And we pray that God, by his power, will fulfill all your good intentions and faithful deeds.
12 Then everyone will give honor to the name of our Lord Jesus because of you, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the undeserved favor of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.[3][Or of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. ]