Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the congregation of the Thessalonians in 'Elohiym, the Father, and the Lord, Yeshuwah haMashiyach:
Checed and shalom to you.
We always thank 'Elohiym for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, continually remembering your acts of 'emuwnah and the labor of checed and the hopeful endurance of hope in our Lord, Yeshuwah haMashiyach, before ha'Elohiym, our Father.
We do this, brothers, knowing that 'Elohiym has chosen you by checed, because our Gospel came to you not simply in words, but also in power and the Ruach haQodesh, and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; welcoming the Word despite much persecution, with the joyfulness of the Ruach haQodesh. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Word of YHWH rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your 'emuwnah in 'Elohiym has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to 'Elohiym from idols to serve 'El Chay, ha'Emeth, and to wait for His Son from Shamayim, whom He raised from the dead – Yeshuwah, who delivers us from the coming wrath.
You yourselves realize, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our 'Elohiym we dared to proclaim His gospel to you, in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from deceitfulness or impurity, or trickery. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by 'Elohiym to be entrusted with the Gospel; not trying to please men, but 'Elohiym, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed – 'Elohiym is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else, when we could have been a burden to you, as shlachiym of the Messiah. But we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her infant children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the Gospel of 'Elohiym but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed the Gospel of 'Elohiym to you.
You are witnesses, along with 'Elohiym, of how we were qadoshiym, tsaddiyqiym and tamiym among those who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and witnessing to you, for you to live in a manner worthy of 'Elohiym, who calls you into His Mamlahkah and Kabowd.
And therefore, we thank 'Elohiym continually because, when you received the Word of 'Elohiym, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a word of men, but as it truly is, the Word of 'Elohiym, which is at work in you, the believers. For you, brothers, became imitators of the congregations in Yhuwdah, who are in Yeshuwah haMashiyach – having suffered from your own countrymen the same things they suffered from the Yhuwdim, who killed both the Lord Yeshuwah and the nabiy'im and also drove us out, displeasing 'Elohiym and being hostile to all men in their effort to keep us from speaking to the gentiles, that they may be saved. In this way, they are always exhibiting their chatta'ah. But, the wrath of 'Elohiym will come upon them in the end.
But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you – certainly I, Paul, did, once and again – but haSatan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or the crown in which we will boast? Is it not you being in the Presence of our Lord Yeshuwah at His coming?
So when we could stand it no longer, we were pleased to be left alone in Athens, and sent Timothy, who is our brother, a shepherd of 'Elohiym, and our co-worker in spreading the Gospel of the Messiah, to strengthen you and encourage your 'emuwnah, so that no one would be unsettled by these persecutions. For, you know that we were appointed for that purpose. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your 'emuwnah. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have become worthless.
But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your 'emuwnah and checed, and that you always have pleasant memories of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you. For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged regarding you through your 'emuwnah. For now we are alive, since you are standing firm in YHWH. How can we thank 'Elohiym enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the Presence of our 'Elohiym because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and perfect what is lacking in your 'emuwnah.
Now ha'Elohiym, our Father Himself, and our Lord, Yeshuwah, will clear the way for us to come to you. And the Lord will make you increase and overflow in checed for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. He will strengthen your hearts, that you will be tamiym, qadoshiym in the sight of ha'Elohiym, our Father, at the coming of our Lord, Yeshuwah, with all of His qadoshiym.
Finally, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord, Yeshuwah, since we explained to you how you should live to be pleasing to 'Elohiym, to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Yeshuwah.
It is the will of 'Elohiym that you should be qadoshiym – to keep you from idolatry – that each of you should learn to control his own body in sanctity and dignity, not in passionate lusts like the gentiles, who do not know 'Elohiym. And in this matter no one should overreach or take advantage of his brother, because the Avenger, YHWH, will deal with them, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you. For 'Elohiym did not call us to be unclean, but to be qadoshiym. Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man but 'Elohiym, who gives His Ruach, the Qadowsh, to you.
Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by 'Elohiym and are to have checed for each other. And in fact, you do have checed for all the brothers throughout all of Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more, to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of strangers and that you will be in need of nothing.
Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant about those who are sleeping, that you will not grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. For if we believe that Yeshuwah died and rose again, we also believe that 'Elohiym will bring with Him those who have slept in Yeshuwah. We tell you, according to a Word from YHWH, that we of the chayiym, remaining until the coming of YHWH, will certainly not precede those who have slept. For YHWH Himself, with a cry of incitement, with the Qowl of the 'Achad of the Sariym, the Ri'shoniym, and with the truw`ah of 'Elohiym, and the dead in the Messiah will rise again first. Then, we of the chayiym who remain together will be plucked with them in clouds to a meeting of YHWH in the air. And so we will be with YHWH forever. Therefore comfort each other with these words.
Now, brothers, you have no need to be written about the times and seasons, for you know very well that Yowm-YHWH will come like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and security," destruction comes on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and none of them will escape.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that the day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the ‘Owr, sons of the Yowm. We do not belong to the Laylah, to the Choshek. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be vigilant and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But we, belonging to Yowm, will be sober, putting on 'emuwnah and checed as a breastplate, and the expectation of Yeshuw'ah as a helmet. For 'Elohiym did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to possess salvation through our Lord, Yeshuwah haMashiyach. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, comfort one another and build each other up, as indeed you are doing.
Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who shepherd you in YHWH and who gently reprove you. Hold them in the highest regard in checed because of their work. Live in shalom with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn the insubordinate, comfort the timid, care for those weaker than you, and be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always follow what is towbah toward each other and everyone else.
Rejoice at all times, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything, for this is the will of 'Elohiym for you in Yeshuwah haMashiyach.
Do not extinguish haRuach and do not treat prophecy with contempt. Test everything. Hold tightly to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
And 'Elohiym Himself, the 'Elohiym of Shalom, will set you apart fully, and your whole nephesh, intellect and body will be guarded perfectly for the coming of our Lord, Yeshuwah haMashiyach. The One who calls you is Ne'eman and He will do it.
Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a kiss of Qadowsh. I charge you before YHWH to have this letter read to all the brothers.
The grace of our Lord, Yeshuwah haMashiyach, is with you.
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