newed unto knowledge after the image of him that created 11 him: where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman: but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffer13 ing; forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as 1 the Lord forgave you, so also do 14 ye: and above all these things put on love, which is the bond 15 of perfectness. And let the selves 5Gr. Bond- Continue stedfastly in prayer, 2 watching therein with thanksgiving; withal praying for us 3 also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; that I may make it manifest, 4 as I ought to speak. Walk 5 in wisdom toward them that are without, 10 redeeming the ways with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one. peace of Christ 2 rule in your 40r, your time. Let your speech be al- 6 hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and 16 be ye thankful. Let the word of 3 Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing 4 one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto 17 God. And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in 6 Gr. lords. 7Gr.from the soul. 8 Gr. All my affairs shall Tychicus 7 make known unto you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord: whom I have sent 8 unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our estate, and that he may comfort your hearts; together 9 with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make 19 the Lord. Husbands, love your again the known unto you all things wives, and be not bitter a20 gainst them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the 21 Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not 22 discouraged. 5Servants, obey in all things them that are your 6 masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord: 23 whatsoever ye do, work 7 heart ily, as unto the Lord, and not 24 unto men; knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: wrong. 9 Gr. 10 Gr. 11 Gr. bondservant. that are done here. Aristarchus my fellow-pri- 10 soner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (touching whom ye received commandments; if he come unto you, receive him), and Jesus, 11 which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort unto me. Epaphras, who 12 is one of you, a 11 servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye also read the epistle from Laodicea. And say to Archip- 17 pus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. The salutation of me Paul 18 with mine own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. because our gospel &c. We give thanks to God always for you all, making men-1 Or, tion of you in our prayers; 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father: 4 knowing, brethren beloved of 5 God, your election, 1 how that in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith to God-ward is gone forth; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves 9 report concerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to 10 wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivereth us from the wrath to come. For yourselves, brethren, 2 know our entering in unto our gospel came not unto you 2 Or, Holy you, that it hath not been Spirit in word only, but also in power, and in the 2 Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; even as ye know what manner of men we shewed ourselves toward you 6 for your sake. And ye became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the 3 Or, word in much affliction, with fulness 7 joy of the 2 Holy Ghost; so that ye became an ensample to all that believe in Mace8 donia and in Achaia. For from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only found vain: but having suf- 2 fered before, and been shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation is 3 not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: but even 4 as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God which proveth our hearts. For nei ther at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloke of covet6 ousness, God is witness; nor seeking glory of men, neither from you, nor from others, when we might have 1 been burdensome, as apostles of 7 Christ. But we were 2 gentle 10r, claimed honour 2 Most of the ancient authorities read babes. 3 Some ancient authori ties read called. in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own 8 children: even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become 9 very dear to us. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. 10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and 4 Gr. the word of unblameably we behaved ourhearing. selves toward you that believe: 11 as ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, 12 and testifying, to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory. 13 5 Gr. a season of an hour. ancient authorities read fellowworker with God. And for this cause we also 6 Gr. thank God without ceasing, presence. that, when ye received from us 4 the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of 7 Some men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also work14 eth in you that believe. For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judæa in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the 8 Or, 15 Jews; who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drave out us, and please not God, and are contrary to plainly all men; forbidding us to speak 16 to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins alway: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. But we, brethren, being be- 17 reaved of you for 5 a short season, in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire: because we would 18 fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us. For what is 19 our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his 6 coming? For ye are our 20 glory and our joy. Wherefore when we could 3 no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone; and sent Ti- 2 mothy, our brother and 7 God's minister in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith; that no man be moved by these 3 afflictions; for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointcd. For verily, when we were 4 with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause I 5 also, when I could no longer forbear, sent that I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labour should be in vain. But when Timothy came 6 even now unto us from you, and brought us glad tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, even as we also to see you; for 7 this cause, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith for now we live, 8 if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we 9 render again unto God for you, ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; 4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification 5 and honour, not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles 6 which know not God; that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we 5 forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto 4 Or, overreach 5 Or, told you plainly 6 Gr. be ambitious. 7 Gr. through. Or, will God through Jesus 8Or, exhort deed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more; and that ye 6study 11 to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you; that ye may walk ho- 12 nestly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing. But we would not have you 13 ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that yo sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope. For if 14 we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep 7in Jesus will God bring with him. For 15 this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the 1 coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the 16 Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we that 17 are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore 8 comfort one an- 18 other with these words. But concerning the times 5 and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you. For your- 2 selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. When 8 they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape. But ye, brethren, 4 are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you 1: 1 as 5 a thief: for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor 6 of darkness; so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the 8 night. But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, 9 the hope of salvation. God appointed us not unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord 10 Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we 2 wake or sleep, we should live together 11 with him. Wherefore 3 exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do. 12 For But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish 13 you; and to esteem them exceeding highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace a14 mong yourselves. And we ex 1 1 Some ancient authori ties read as thieves. 2 Or, watch hort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all. See that none render unto 15 any one evil for evil; but alway follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all. Rejoice alway; 16 pray without ceasing; in every 18 thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward. Quench not the 19 ties insert Spirit; despise not prophesy- 20 ings; 4 prove all things; hold 21 fast that which is good; ab- 22 stain from every 5 form of evil. 3 Or, comfort 4 Many ancient authori but. 5 Or, appearance 6 Gr. presence. 7 Some ancient authorlties add also. 8 Many ancient authorities insert holy. 17 And the God of peace him- 23 self sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the 6 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith- 24 ful is he that calleth you, who will also do it. THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus 2 Christ; Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We are bound to give thanks to God alway for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth ex ceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; so 4 that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; which is a manifest token 5 of the righteous judgement of God; to the end that ye may |