Greetings to the Thessalonians
(2 Thessalonians 1:1-2; Philemon 1:1-3)

1Paul and Silvanusa and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.b

2We give thanks to God always concerning all of you, making mention in our prayers, 3remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and unceasing labor of love, and the endurance of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4knowing, brothers beloved by God, your election, 5because our gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and with much full assurance, just as you know what we were among you on account of you.

6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7so as for you to became an example to all the believing ones in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place your faith toward God has gone abroad, so as for us to have no need to say anything. 9For they themselves report concerning us what reception we had from you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, 10and to await His Son from the heavens, whom He raised out from the dead—Jesus, the one delivering us from the coming wrath.