Thanksgiving

⁴ I always thank my God for you^(A) because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

¹⁵ For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus^(A) and your love for all God’s people,^{(B) 16} I have not stopped giving thanks for you,^(C) remembering you in my prayers.^{(D) 17} I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,^(E) may give you the Spirit^[a] of wisdom^(F) and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened^(G) in order that you may know the hope to which he has called^(H) you, the riches^(I) of his glorious inheritance^(J) in his holy people,^{(K) 19} and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power^(L) is the same as the mighty strength^{(M) 20} he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead^(N) and seated him at his right hand^(O) in the heavenly realms,^{(P) 21} far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,^(Q) and every name^(R) that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.^{(S) 22} And God placed all things under his feet^(T) and appointed him to be head^(U) over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body,^(V) the fullness of him^(W) who fills everything in every way.^(X)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I thank my God every time I remember you.^{(A) 4} In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray^(B) with joy ⁵ because of your partnership^(C) in the gospel from the first day^(D) until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion^(E) until the day of Christ Jesus.^(F)

⁷ It is right^(G) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart^(H) and, whether I am in chains^(I) or defending^(J) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸ God can testify^(K) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love^(L) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^{(M) 10} so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,^{(N) 11} filled with the fruit of righteousness^(O) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³ As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard^[b] and to everyone else that I am in chains^(P) for Christ. ¹⁴ And because of my chains,^(Q) most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.^(R)

¹⁵ It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶ The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.^{(S) 17} The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,^(T) not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.^{(U) 18} But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that through your prayers^(V) and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ^(W) what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.^{[c](X) 20} I eagerly expect^(Y) and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage^(Z) so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,^(AA) whether by life or by death.^{(AB) 21} For to me, to live is Christ^(AC) and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart^(AD) and be with Christ,^(AE) which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

²⁷ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy^(AF) of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm^(AG) in the one Spirit,^[d] striving together^(AH) as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸ without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹ For it has been granted to you^(AI) on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer^(AJ) for him, ³⁰ since you are going through the same struggle^(AK) you saw^(AL) I had, and now hear^(AM) that I still have.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We always thank God,^(A) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love^(B) you have for all God’s people^(C)— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope^(D) stored up for you in heaven^(E) and about which you have already heard in the true message^(F) of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit^(G) and growing throughout the whole world^(H)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras,^(I) our dear fellow servant,^[a] who is a faithful minister^(J) of Christ on our^[b] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.^(K)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you,^(L) we have not stopped praying for you.^(M) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will^(N) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{[c](O) 10} so that you may live a life worthy^(P) of the Lord and please him^(Q) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,^{(R) 11} being strengthened with all power^(S) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,^{(T) 12} and giving joyful thanks to the Father,^(U) who has qualified you^[d] to share in the inheritance^(V) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.^{(W) 13} For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness^(X) and brought us into the kingdom^(Y) of the Son he loves,^{(Z) 14} in whom we have redemption,^(AA) the forgiveness of sins.^(AB)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

¹⁵ The Son is the image^(AC) of the invisible God,^(AD) the firstborn^(AE) over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created:^(AF) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;^(AG) all things have been created through him and for him.^{(AH) 17} He is before all things,^(AI) and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head^(AJ) of the body, the church;^(AK) he is the beginning and the firstborn^(AL) from among the dead,^(AM) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased^(AN) to have all his fullness^(AO) dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile^(AP) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,^(AQ) by making peace^(AR) through his blood,^(AS) shed on the cross.

²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies^(AT) in your minds^(AU) because of^[e] your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled^(AV) you by Christ’s physical body^(AW) through death to present you^(AX) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation^(AY)— ²³ if you continue^(AZ) in your faith, established^(BA) and firm, and do not move from the hope^(BB) held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,^(BC) and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.^(BD)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

²⁴ Now I rejoice^(BE) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,^(BF) for the sake of his body, which is the church.^{(BG) 25} I have become its servant^(BH) by the commission God gave me^(BI) to present to you the word of God^(BJ) in its fullness— ²⁶ the mystery^(BK) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known^(BL) among the Gentiles the glorious riches^(BM) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,^(BN) the hope of glory.

²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing^(BO) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,^(BP) so that we may present everyone fully mature^(BQ) in Christ. ²⁹ To this end I strenuously^(BR) contend^(BS) with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.^(BT)

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

² We always thank God for all of you^(A) and continually mention you in our prayers.^(B)

¹³ And we also thank God continually^(A) because, when you received the word of God,^(B) which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.