1Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the] Thessalonians, in God [the] Father and in [the] Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2We give thanks to God for you always, making mention of you in our prayers, 3remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father, 4knowing, beloved brothers, your election of God. 5For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in [the] Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as you know what kind [of men] we were among you for your sake. 6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, welcoming the word in much affliction, with joy of [the] Holy Spirit, 7so that you were examples to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 8For from you the Word of the Lord sounded out, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to speak anything. 9For they themselves witness what kind of entrance we had to you, even how you turned from idols to God in order to serve the] living and true God, 10and to wait for His Son from Heaven (whom He raised from [the] dead), Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.