knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. 2. Continue in prayer, and watch thereunto, with thanksgiving; 3. Witbal, praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the gospel mystery of Christ, for which I am even in bonds; 4. To make it manifest as I ought to speak. 5. Walk in wisdom toward the heathens that are without (the pale of the church), redeeming the time. 6. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned thereby as with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. 7. All my state shall Tychicus declare to you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister, and fellow-servant in the Lord. 8. Whom I have sent to you on purpose, to know your estate, and comfort your hearts; 9. With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you: they shall make known to you all things done here. 10. Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner salutes you, and John Mark, sister's son to Barnabas, concerning whom ye received commands; if he come to you receive him; 11. And Jesus called Justus. These only of the circumcision, are my fellowworkers for the kingdom of God, who have been a comfort to me. 12. Epaphras, one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13. For I bear him witness that he hath a great zeal for you, and them in Laodicea, and in Hierapolis. 14. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demás, greet you. 15. Salute the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church in his house. 16. And this epistle being read among you, cause it be read also in the Laodicean church; and read ye likewise the epistle from Laodicea (to me). 17. And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, to fulfil it. 18. The salutation of me Paul with mine own Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. hand. Amen. ¶ Written from Rome to the Colossians, by Tychicus and Onesimus. ST. PAUL'S FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. CHAP. I. PAUL'S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER. PAUL, and Silvanus, (or Silas) and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, which is in (the love of) God the Father, and that of the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3. Remembering always your works of faith and labours of love, and patient hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before God, even our Father; 4. Knowing, brethren, beloved of God, your election. 5. For our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in the power of the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye know what kind of men we were among you for your sakes. 6. And ye became imitators of us and of the Lord Jesus, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7. So that ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 8. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God is noised abroad; so that we need not speak any thing. 9. For they (to whom we came) declare concerning us what kind of entering in we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivereth us from the wrath to come. CHAP. II. HOW THE GOSPEL WAS PREACHED. FOR yourselves, brethren, know our entrance into you, was not in vain: 2. But even when we had before suffered, and were shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in (the name of) our God to speak to you the gospel of God with much earnestness. 3. For our exhortation was not from deceit, nor uncleanness, nor in guile (like pagans). 4. But as we were approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who trieth our hearts. 5. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a (shew of piety for a) cloak of covetousness; God is witness. 6. Nor of men sought we glory, either you, or of others, tho' we might have used authority as the apostles of Christ. of 7. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children; 8. Thus being tenderly affectionate towards you, we were willing to have imparted to you not the gospel of God only, but also our own lives because ye were dear to us. 9. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and toil, labouring night and day, that we might not be burdensome to any of you, when we preached to you the gospel of God." 10. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, righteously and unblameably, we lived among you that believe: 11. As ye know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12. That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom of glory. 13. For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, that when ye received the word of God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually works in you that believe. 14. For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews; 15. Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are against all men; 16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles for their salvation; to fill up their sins always, for the wrath has overtaken them to utter destruction. 17. Now we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly with great desire to see your face again. 18. Therefore we would have come to you (even I Paul) once and again, but Satan hindered us. 19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20. For ye are our glory and joy. CHAP. III. PAUL'S LOVE TO THE THESSALONIANS. THEREFORE, when we could no longer bear our anxiety, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone, 2. And sent Timothy our brother, a minister of God, and our fellow-labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and comfort you concern ing your faith; s. That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 4. For verily, when we were with you, we foretold that we should suffer tribulation, even as ye know it came to pass. 5. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labour might be in vain. 6. But now, when Timothy came from you to us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you; 7. Then, brethren, we were comforted concerning you in all our affliction and distress, by your faith; 8. For now we live (with comfort) if ye stand fast in (the grace of) the Lord. 9. For what thanks can we return to God for you, for all the joy wherewith we rejoice for your sakes before our God; 10. Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and perfect what is lacking in your faith? 12. 11. Now God himself even our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in lové one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: 13. That he may stablish your hearts, and you be unblameable in holiness before God even our Father, at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. CHAP. IV. PAUL EXHORTETH TO PURITY. FURTHERMORE then, we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you for the Lord Jesus' sake, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk so as to please God, that ye would abound more and more. 2. For ye know what commands we gave you in the name of the Lord Jesus. 3. For this is VOL. III. 3 0 34 |