Mace(i)
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, that believe in God our father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 favour and peace be with you from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We are oblig'd, my brethren, to render thanks to God continually upon your account, as it is but just; since your faith still improves, and your mutual love is always increasing.
4 so that you are the subject of our glorying in the churches of God, for the constancy of your faith, under all the persecutions and afflictions you endure from men,
5 by which you may be assur'd, that they will be punish'd by the divine justice, and that you shall be rewarded with the kingdom of God, for which you suffer;
6 since it is agreeable to his justice to afflict those in their turn, who afflict you:
7 and that you, who are distress'd, should obtain your repose, together with us, when the Lord Jesus, with his angels, the ministers of his power, shall descend from heaven,
8 in flaming fire, to take vengeance on those, who know not God, and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 the Lord shall punish them with everlasting destruction, when he shall appear in the glory of his power,
10 and come to be glorified by his saints, and to be the object of admiration to all who believed, that the testimony we gave you, would be justified in that day.
11 Wherefore we continually pray, that our God would by his power effect all the gracious designs of his goodness, and accomplish the work of faith in you;
12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified by you, and you by him, by the favour of our God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.