1 Thessalonians 1

King James Version (1769) · Tap a verse to see it in context

About this chapter

AI-assisted, sourced

Paul, Silvanus and Timotheus give thanks for the Thessalonians, remembering their "work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." The gospel came to them "not... in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost," and they received it "in much affliction, with joy." Their faith is known everywhere: they "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven." 1 Thessalonians 1:1 1 Thessalonians 1:2 1 Thessalonians 1:3 1 Thessalonians 1:5 1 Thessalonians 1:6 1 Thessalonians 1:8 1 Thessalonians 1:9 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Who, where, when, and the key verses

Who

"Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus," writing to "the church of the Thessalonians." 1 Thessalonians 1:1

Where

Thessalonica, whose believers became examples "to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia." 1 Thessalonians 1:1 1 Thessalonians 1:7 1 Thessalonians 1:8 Thessalonica Macedonia Achaia

When

Traditionally about AD 50-51, during Paul's second missionary journey, soon after the church was founded. Nearly all scholars accept that Paul wrote it, and many count it his earliest surviving letter. 1 Thessalonians overview

How it fits

This chapter gives thanks for how the gospel came to Thessalonica. Chapter 2 tells more of that "entrance in unto you," after Paul and his companions had been "shamefully entreated... at Philippi." 1 Thessalonians 1:5 1 Thessalonians 1:9 1 Thessalonians 2:1 1 Thessalonians 2:2 1 Thessalonians overview

Key verses

Verse 3
"Your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope." 1 Corinthians 13:13 also names "faith, hope, charity, these three." 1 Thessalonians 1:3 1 Corinthians 13:13
Verse 6
They "received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost," and became "ensamples to all that believe." 1 Thessalonians 1:6 1 Thessalonians 1:7
Verse 10
They wait "for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:9 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Takeaway

Real faith shows itself in work, love and patient hope; turn from idols to the living God and wait for his Son from heaven. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 1 Thessalonians 1:9 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a separate AI reader. Updated 2026-10-29.

Greeting

¹Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving for their faith

²We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; ³Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; ⁴Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. ⁵For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. ⁶And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: ⁷So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. ⁹For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; ¹⁰And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.