1 Thessalonians

The apostles express gratitude to God for the Thessalonian church, acknowledging their faith, love, and hope in Jesus Christ, and noting that they became imitators of the apostles and the Lord despite affliction. The apostles' ministry in Thessalonica was genuine and selfless, and they treated the Thessalonians with paternal care, exhorting them to live a life worthy of God. The Thessalonians received the word of God and imitated the churches in Judea, suffering persecution, and the apostles' hope and joy is the Thessalonian believers. The writer sent Timothy to establish and exhort the faith of the recipients, and upon his return, the writer's joy and thanksgiving for the recipients' faith motivated them to pray for an opportunity to see them again. The writer urged the Thessalonians to live a life pleasing to God, abstaining from immorality and controlling their bodies in holiness, and to love one another, and addressed their grief over those who have died, assuring them that through Jesus, God will bring those who have fallen asleep with Him when He returns.