К Солунянам первое послание Апостола Павла

Thessaloniki, now Thessaloniki, was in ancient times a rich city and trading port in Macedonia, on a large trade route from Europe to Asia. Due to its central position, the place was convenient for preaching, with a significant Jewish population. The Apostle Paul arrived here during his second journey and converted many at first with his preaching, but soon the unfaithful Jews aroused popular unrest against him and his companions, so that Paul and Silas barely escaped from a house besieged by a crowd. From here they went to Beria and then to Athens and Corinth. But in Athens, news reached them that the young Thessalonica community had been persecuted. Then, without having time to go to Thessaloniki himself, he sent Timothy there and, upon his return, wrote this first letter to the Solunians. It was written, apparently, from Corinth around 52 A.D. Chapter 1. Praise to the faith of Solunyan Paul and Silouan and Timothy of the Church of Thessalonica about God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We always thank God for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, constantly remembering your work of faith and labor of love, and your patience in trusting in our Lord Jesus Christ before our God and Father. I know, beloved brethren, that your election comes from God: Our gospel to you was not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction; You yourself know how we lived among you for your good. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, and in the midst of many sorrows you received our word with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that they became a model for all believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you the word of the Lord spread not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith in God became glorious, so that we no longer needed to say anything on our own. For people themselves are already talking about us, how we were received by you and how you turned from idols to serve the living and true God, and wait for the coming from heaven of His Son, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who will deliver us from the coming wrath. Chapter 2. Impressions of the first stay in Thessaloniki You yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not fruitless; but, having suffered before and suffered insults, as you know, in Philippi we dared, about our God, to tell you the gospel of God, with great struggle. Our preaching is not from error, nor from unclean motives, nor from deceit. But just as I was worthy from God to accept the feat of the gospel, so I proclaim it, not pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts. And as you know, we never had before you any words of endearment or selfish plans: God is my witness! We do not seek human glory either from you or from others. They could have laid the burden on you like the Apostles of Christ, but they were quiet in your midst, like a nurse nourishes and warms her children. So we, too, desiring you with our hearts, longed to convey to you not only the gospel of God, but also to give our souls: so you became dear to us. Remember, brethren, our labor and exhaustion: working night and day, so as not to burden any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. You and God are witnesses, how holy and righteous and reproachful we were among you who believed (in Christ). Do you know that each of you, as the father of his children, We asked and encouraged and convinced you to walk in life worthy of God, who has called you into His kingdom and glory. Persecution from fellow tribesmen for faith Therefore, we constantly thank God that, having accepted the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the truly existing word of God: it acts in you who believe. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea: and you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen that they also suffered from the Jews. The Jews killed both the Lord Jesus and their prophets, and drove us out; They do not please God and oppose all people, and we are forbidden to preach salvation to the pagans, and so they do not cease to fulfill the measure of their sins; but the wrath of God is drawing near upon them to the end. But we, brethren, having been separated from you for a short time - in face, but not in heart, all the more desired and strived to see your face. And therefore we, especially I, Pavel, once or twice wanted to go to you; but Satan rebuked us. Who is our hope, or joy, or crown of praise? Are you not also before our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? After all, you are our glory and joy. Chapter 3. Timothy's embassy to Thessalonians So, being unable to bear it any longer, we decided it would be better to stay alone in Athens, and we sent Timothy, our brother and servant of God and fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to confirm you and comfort you in your faith, so that no one will be shaken in these sorrows: you yourself know that this is how we are destined. And while we were with you, we predicted to you that we would suffer, as it happened, and now you know. Therefore, I, unable to bear it any longer, sent to find out about your faith, so that I would not tempt you as a tempter and our labor would not be in vain. But now, when Timothy came to us from you and brought us the good news about your faith and love, and that you are always in good memory of us and want to see us, just as we want to see you, then, in all our sorrow over your need, we were comforted by your faith. Now we too are alive when you stand in the Lord. How can we thank God, what praise can we give to God for you, for all the joy, how we rejoice over you before our God! Night and day we fervently pray that God would allow us to see your face and complete the incompleteness of your faith. May our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our path to you. May the Lord fulfill you and fill you with love for each other and for everyone, just as we do with love for you. May your hearts be established to be blameless in holiness before God and our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. Chapter 4. Instructions on purity of life For this, brethren, we ask and pray to you in Christ Jesus: you have received from us how you should lead your life and please God, so you have lived, continue to live, and in this you will continue to prosper. You know what commandments we gave you from the Lord Jesus. This is the will of God for your holiness, so that you keep yourself from fornication; so that everyone knows how to keep his vessel (his wife?) in holiness and honor, and not in passionate lust, like the pagans who do not know God. And let none of you be a criminal or a predator against his brother in such a matter: for the Lord is the avenger of all this, as we told you before and testified. God called us not to an unclean life, but to holiness 37 . So, whoever despises this word does not despise man, but God, who gave us His Holy Spirit. There is no need to write to you about brotherly love: you yourself have been taught by God to love one another. This is what you observe with all your brothers throughout Macedonia. We pray you, brothers, to continue to succeed in this, and do your best to live quietly, do your own thing and work with your own hands, as we commanded you - They would act decently before outsiders and demand nothing from anyone. Living and dead at the coming of the Lord And I do not want, brethren, to leave you ignorant about the departed, so that you do not grieve, like others who have no hope. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. And this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain at the coming of the Lord will not warn those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself, when the command is given, with the voice of the Archangel, with the voice of the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first; Then we, the living ones who remain, will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. So comfort one another with these words. There is no need to write to you about times and seasons, brethren: You yourselves know for sure that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they begin to say: “Peace and safety,” then destruction will suddenly befall them, just as pain befalls one who is pregnant, and there is no escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness, lest that day come upon you like a thief: you are all sons of light and sons of day; We are not the sons of the night, nor of darkness. Let us therefore not sleep as others sleep, but let us be awake and sober. Those who sleep sleep at night and drunkards get drunk at night. Let us, being sons of the day, be sober, having put on the armor of faith and love and the helmet of the hope of salvation - For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to seek salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us, so that we may live with Him, whether we are awake or whether we sleep. Final Instructions Therefore, encourage one another and edify each one of his neighbors - which, indeed, is what you are doing. We pray you, brethren, respect those who labor among you and those who lead you in the Lord and admonish you, and have special love for their work: be at peace with one another. We also pray to you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, comfort the faint-hearted, intercede for the weak, be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil; but always seek goodness for each other and always rejoice in everyone. Give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not disparage prophecies. Trying everything, hold on to the good. Abstain from all kinds of evil. May the God of peace Himself make you perfect in holiness, and may your spirit and soul be perfect and your body unblemished at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who called you is faithful - He will do this. Greet our brethren with all the holy kisses. I conjure you by the Lord to read this message to all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with you. Amen. From careful consideration of the totality of six verses (3-8), it is natural to draw the conclusion that in them the Apostle means especially the purity of married life. 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