gations of the Laodiceans; and that you also read the one from Laodicea 17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry, which you have re ceived in the Lord, that you may fulfil it.

18 The salutation of Paul, with my own hand. Remember my bonds. Favor be with you.

The First Epistle of PAUL, the Apostle, to the THESSALONIANS.

[Written from Corinth, A. D. 52.]

1.-PAUL, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, to the congregation of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesu Christ: Favor to you, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 We give thanks to God at all times for you all, making mention of you 3 in our prayers; incessantly remembering your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of 4 God, even our Father; knowing, brethren, beloved of God, your elec 5 tion for our gospel came not to you in word only, but also with power, and with the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance: as you know what 6 sort of men we were among you. And you became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having embraced the word in much affliction, with joy of 7 the Holy Spirit. So that you are become patterns to all who believe in 8 Macedonia and Achaia. Besides, from you the word of the Lord hat resounded, not only in Macedonia and Achaia; but also in every place your faith in God is spread abroad, so that we have no need to speak any 9 thing. For the themselves publish concerning us, what sort of entrance we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve 10 the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he has raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath which is to come.

II. For yourselves know, brethren, our entrance among you, that it 2 was not in vain. For although we had before suffered, and were shamefully handled, as you know, at Philippi, we were bold through our God 3 to speak to you the gospel of God, aniidst a great combat. Besides, our 4 exhortation was not from error, nor from impurity, nor with guile. But as we were approved of God, to be entrus ed with the gospel, so we 5 speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who tries our hearts. For neither did we, at any time, use flattering words, or a pretext for covetousness; 6 God is witness. Neither sought we honor from men; neither from you, nor from others. We might have acted with authority, as Apostles of 7 Chris'; but we were gentle among you, as a nurse cherishes her chil8 dren-so, having a strong affection for you, we were well pleased to have imparted to you, not only the gospel of God, but our own souls also; 9 because you were become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; that laboring uight and day, that we might not be charge 10 able to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. You were witnesses, and God also, in what a holy, and just, and blameless manner, il we acted towards you that believe. As also, you know, how we ad dressed every one of you, as a father his owi. children, exhorting and 12 conforting you; and testifying that you should walk worthy of God, who 13 has called you to his kingdom of glory. On this account also we give thanks to God, without ceasing that when you received from us this message of God, you embraced not the word of men; but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which indeed works effectually in you who be 14 lieve. For you, brethren, became imitators of the congregations of God, which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; because you also have suffered like

15 things from your own countrymen, even as they have from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and have greatly persecuted 16 us, and do not please God, and are contrary to all men: hindering us to speak to the Gentiles, that they may be saved; so that they fill up their iniquities always: but the wrath of God is coming upon them at length. 17 Now we, brethren, being separated from you for a short time, in presence, not in heart, the more abundantly endeavored, with great desire, to 18 see your face. Therefore we would have come to you (even I, Paul,) 19 once and again, but the adversary hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even you, in the presence of our 20 Lord Jesus Christ, at his coming?-You, indeed, are our glory and our joy.

111-Wherefore, no longer concealing our anxiety, we were well 2 pleased to be left at Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother, and a minister of God, and our fellow-laborer in the gospel of Christ, to estab3 lish you, and to exhort you concerning your faith that no one should be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that we are appointed to 4 them. For even when we were with you, we foretold you that we were 5 to be afflicted; which also happened, as you know. For this reason also, no longer concealing my anxiety, I sent to know your faith; lest by some means the tempter may have tempted you, and our labor have become in 6 vain. But now, when Timothy came to us from you, and gave us the good news of your faith and love, and that you have good remembrance of us at all times, ardently desiring to see us, even as we also to see you; 7 by this, brethren, we were comforted concerning you in all our affliction 8 and necessity, even by your faith. For now we live, when you stand 9 firm in the Lord. But what thanksgiving can we return to God concern.

ing you, for all the joy with which we rejoice through you in the pres 10 ence of our God? Night and day most earnestly requesting to see your 1. face, and to supply the deficiencies of your faith. Now may God him

self, even our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, make straight our way 12 to you. And may the Lord fill you, and make you overflow with love to 13 one another, and to all, even as we also to you; that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, with all his saints.

IV. As to what remains then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us, how you ought to 2 walk, and please God, you would more abound in it. For you know 3 what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus; for this is the will 4 of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from whoredom-that every one of you should know how to possess his own body 5 in sanctification and honor;-not in the passion of lust, even as the Gen6 tiles who know not God.-That no man should go beyond bounds, or defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger of all 7 such; as we also formerly told, and fully testified to you: for God has 8 not called us to impurity, but to holiness. Therefore, indeed, he who despises, despises not man, but God, who certainly has given to us his Holy Spirit.

But, concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I write to you, 10 for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And, indeed, 11 you do it towards all the brethren who are in all Macedonia: but we exhort you, brethren, still to abound, and earnestly to study to be quiet; and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your own hands, as we 12 commanded you: that you may walk decently towards them who are without, and may have need of nothing.

13

Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them who sleep; that you may not be grieved, even as the others, who have no 14 hope. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again; so also, them 15 who sleep, will God through Jesus bring with him.-Besides this we af firm to you, by the word of the Lord, that we the living, who remain at

16 the coming of the Lord, shall not anticipate them who are asleep: for the Lord himself will descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the Arch Angel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ 17 shall rise first; afterwards, we the living who remain, shall at the same time with them be instantly taken up in clouds to join the Lord in the 18 air: and so we shall be forever with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.

V. However, concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you 2 have no need that I write to you: for yourselves know perfectly, 3 that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night.—When they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as tra4 vail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should come on you like a 5 thief. You are all sons of light, and sons of day: we are not sons of 6 night, nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, even as others, 7 but let us watch, and be sober. For they who sleep, sleep in the night; 8 and they who get drunk, get drunk in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastpiate of faith and love; and 9 for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not appointed us to 10 wrath, but to obtain salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we may live together with 11 him. Wherefore, comfort one anotber, and edify each other, even as also you do.

12 Now we beseech you, brethren, to acknowledge them who labor 13 among you, and who preside over you in the Lord, and instruct you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their works' sake. Be at peace 14 among yourselves. Moreover, we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, be of a long 15 suffering disposition towards all.-Take care that no one return evil for

evil to any one, but always pursue what is good, both towards one an16 other, and towards all. Rejoice always.-Pray without ceasing. In 18 every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God, by Christ Jesus, co19 cerning you. Quench not the Spirit.-Despise not prophesying.-Prove 21 all things.-Hold fast that which is good.-Abstain from all appearance

23

of evil.

And may the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your whole person, the spirit, and the soul, and the body, be preserved un24 blamable, till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he who 25 has called you; who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us.-Salute all 27 the brethren with a holy kiss. I solemnly charge you by the Lord, that 28 this epistle be read to all the holy brethren. The favor of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

The Second Epistle of PAUL, the Apostle, to the THESSALONIANS.

[Written from Corinth, A. D. 52.]

L-PAUL, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, to the congregation of the Thessalonians, which is in God our Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Favor to you, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are bound to thank God always concerning you, brethren, as it is fit, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of 4 you all towards each other abounds; so that we ourselves boast of you to the congregations of God, on account of your patience and faith in all 5 your persecutions and afflictions, which you endure; a proof of the right eous judgment of God, that you might be counted truly worthy of the

6 kingdom of God, for which you thus suffer: seeing it is just with God to 7 return affliction to them who afflict you;-and to you the afflicted, (be cause our testimony was believed by you,) rest with us, at the revelation 8 of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, inflicting a just retribution on those who know not God, and who obey 9 not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall suffer a just punishment-an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and 10 from the glory of his power-in that day when he shall come to be glo 11 rified in his saints, and to be admired by all the believers. In relation to which we are always praying concerning you, that our God may account you worthy of this calling, and fill you with all the benevolence of good. 12 ness, and the effect of faith with power; that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the favor of our God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

II-Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus 2 Christ, and by our gathering together to him, that you be not suddenly shaken in mind, nor alarmed, neither by spirit, nor by report, nor by let 3 ter, as from us, intimating that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no one lead you into a mistake by any means; because the apostacy must first appear, and the man of sin, the son of perdition, must be first re4 vealed, who opposes and exalts himself against every one called a god, or an object of worship; so that he places himself in the temple of God, 5 openly exhibiting himself, that he is a god. Do you not remember, that 6 when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And you know what 7 now prevents his being revealed until his proper time. For already the mystery of iniquity secretly works, only till he, who now restrains, be 8 taken out of the way; and then shall that lawless one be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume by the spirit of his mouth:-with the brightness of his coming he will. indeed, utterly destroy him, whose coming is according to the energy of Satan, with all the power, and 20 signs, and wonders of falsehood; and with all the deceit of unrighteous

ness among the destroyed; because they did not embrace the love of the 11 truth, that they might be saved. For this cause, God will send them 12 strong delusion, that they may believe a lie; that all may be condemned, who have not believed the truth, but have taken pleasure in iniquity. 13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, be loved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to 14 salvation, through sanctification of spirit, and belief of truth; to which

he called you, by our gospel, that you might obtain the glory of our Lord 15 Jesus Christ. Well then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the tradi16 tions which you have been taught, whether by our word, or letter. And

may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, who has loved us, and given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through 17 favor, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.

III.-Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may 2 rapidly spread, and be glorified, even as among you. And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for all men have not 3 faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish and keep you from 4 the evil one. For we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that 5 you both do, and will do, the things which we command you. And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience

of Christ.

6 Now, we command you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother, who walks disorderly, and not according to the tradition which he received from 7 us. For yourselves know, how you ought to imitate us;-that we did 8 not walk disorderly among you; neither did we eat bread as a gift, from any one; but with labor and toil, we wrought night and day, that we 9 might not be burdensome to any of you. Not because we have not a

right, but that we might give ourselves to you for a pattern, to imitate 10 us. And therefore, when we were with you, this we commanded you, 11 that if any one will not work, neither let him eat. For we hear that

there are some, who still walk among you disorderly, not working at all, 12 but prying into other people's affairs. Now them, who are such, we command and beseech by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness 13 they work, and eat their own bread. And you, brethren, be not wea14 ry in well doing. Now, if any one do not obey our command in this letter, point out that man, and keep no company with him, that he 15 may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish 16 him as a brother. And may the Lord of peace himself give you 17 peace always, in every event. The Lord be with you all. The salu tation of Paul, with my own hand, which is the token in every epis 18 tle: thus I write. The favor of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The First Epistle of PAUL, the Apostle, to

TIMOTHY.

[Written from Macedonia, A. D. 58.]

L-PAUL, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandnient of God 2 our Saviour, and of the Lord Jesus Christ our hope; to Timothy my own son in the faith: Favor, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from Christ Jesus our Lord.

As I entreated you to continue in Ephesus, when going into Macedo4 nia, that you may charge some not to teach differently: nor to give heed to fables, and endless genealogies, which occasion disputes rather than 5 godly edification, which is through faith; (now the end of the charge is love, from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and unfeigned faith 6 from which things some having swerved, have turned aside to foolish 7 talking. Desiring to be teachers of the law, neither understanding what 8 they say, nor the things about which they are so positive. We know, in 9 deed, that the law is good, if one use it lawfully. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disorderly, the ungodly and sinners, the unholy and profane; murderers of fathers, 10 and murderers of mothers, manslayers, fornicators, sodomites, mansteal ers, liars, false swearers, and if any other thing be opposite to whole 11 some doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with 12 which I am entrusted. Now I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has

qualified me, that he reckoned me faithful, appointing me to the minis try, who was formerly a defamer, and a persecutor, and an injurious 13 person. But I received mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the favor of our Lord has superabounded, with the faith and love 15 which is by Christ Jesus. This saying is true and worthy of all recep

tion, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I 16 am chief. However, for this cause I received mercy, that in me the chief of sinners, Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them who should hereafter believe on him, in order to ever17 lasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God alone, 18 be honor and glory, forever and ever. Amen.) This charge 1 commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before concerning you, that you may carry on through them the good warfare; 19 holding fast faith and a good conscience; which some having put away, 20 with respect to the faith have made shipwreck of whom are Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to the adversary, that they might be taught by chastisement not to defame.

II.-Now i exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions.