Προς Θεσσαλονικεις Α΄ 5
1 Περὶ δὲ τῶν χρόνων καὶ τῶν καιρῶν, ἀδελφοί, οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε ὑμῖν γράφεσθαι.
But as to the times and the moments, there is no need, friends, for anyone to write to you.
2 Αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκριβῶς οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ ἡμέρα Κυρίου ὡς κλέπτης ἐν νυκτὶ οὕτως ἔρχεται·
You yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come just as a thief comes in the night.
3 ὅταν γὰρ λέγωσιν, Εἰρήνη καὶ ἀσφάλεια, τότε αἰφνίδιος αὐτοῖς ἐφίσταται ὄλεθρος, ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκφύγωσιν.
When people are saying “All is quiet and safe,” it is then that, like birth pains on a pregnant woman, ruin comes suddenly upon them, and there will be no escape!
4 Ὑμεῖς δέ, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σκότει, ἵνα ἡ ἡμέρα ὑμᾶς ὡς κλέπτης καταλάβῃ·
You, however, friends, are not in darkness, that the daylight should take you by surprise as if you were thieves.
5 πάντες ὑμεῖς υἱοὶ φωτός ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ἡμέρας· οὐκ ἐσμὲν νυκτὸς οὐδὲ σκότους·
For you all are children of light and children of the day. We have nothing to do with night, or darkness.
6 ἄρα οὖν μὴ καθεύδωμεν ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί, ἀλλὰ γρηγορῶμεν καὶ νήφωμεν.
Therefore let us not sleep as others do. No, let us be watchful and self-controlled.
7 Οἱ γὰρ καθεύδοντες νυκτὸς καθεύδουσι· καὶ οἱ μεθυσκόμενοι, νυκτὸς μεθύουσιν.
It is at night that people sleep, and at night that drunkards get drunk.
8 Ἡμεῖς δέ, ἡμέρας ὄντες, νήφωμεν, ἐνδυσάμενοι θώρακα πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης, καὶ περικεφαλαίαν, ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας.
But let us, who belong to the day, control ourselves, and put on faith and love as a breast plate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
9 Ὅτι οὐκ ἔθετο ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ὀργήν, ἀλλ᾿ εἰς περιποίησιν σωτηρίας διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,
For God destined us, not for wrath, but to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us,
10 τοῦ ἀποθανόντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα, εἴτε γρηγορῶμεν εἴτε καθεύδωμεν, ἅμα σὺν αὐτῷ ζήσωμεν.
that, whether we are still watching or have fallen asleep, we may live with him.
11 Διὸ παρακαλεῖτε ἀλλήλους, καὶ οἰκοδομεῖτε εἷς τὸν ἕνα, καθὼς καὶ ποιεῖτε.
Therefore encourage one another, and try to build up one another’s characters, as indeed you are doing.
12 Ἐρωτῶμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, εἰδέναι τοὺς κοπιῶντας ἐν ὑμῖν, καὶ προϊσταμένους ὑμῶν ἐν Κυρίῳ, καὶ νουθετοῦντας ὑμᾶς,
We beg you, friends, to value those who toil among you, and are your leaders in the Lord’s service, and give you counsel.
13 καὶ ἡγεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς ὑπὲρ ἐκπερισσοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃ διὰ τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν. Εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς.
Hold them in the very greatest esteem and affection for the sake of their work. Live at peace with one another.
14 Παρακαλοῦμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, νουθετεῖτε τοὺς ἀτάκτους, παραμυθεῖσθε τοὺς ὀλιγοψύχους, ἀντέχεσθε τῶν ἀσθενῶν, μακροθυμεῖτε πρὸς πάντας.
We entreat you also, friends – warn the disorderly, comfort the faint-hearted, give a helping hand to the weak, and be patient with everyone.
15 Ὁρᾶτε μή τις κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ τινὶ ἀποδῷ· ἀλλὰ πάντοτε τὸ ἀγαθὸν διώκετε καὶ εἰς ἀλλήλους καὶ εἰς πάντας.
Take care that none of you ever pays back wrong for wrong, but always follow the kindest course with one another and with everyone.
16 Πάντοτε χαίρετε·
Always be joyful;
17 ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε·
never cease to pray;
18 ἐν παντὶ εὐχαριστεῖτε· τοῦτο γὰρ θέλημα Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς ὑμᾶς.
under all circumstances give thanks to God. For this is his will for you as made known in Christ Jesus.
19 Τὸ πνεῦμα μὴ σβέννυτε·
Do not quench the Spirit;
20 προφητείας μὴ ἐξουθενεῖτε·
do not make light of preaching.
21 πάντα δοκιμάζετε· τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε·
Bring everything to the test; cling to what is good;
22 ἀπὸ παντὸς εἴδους πονηροῦ ἀπέχεσθε.
shun every form of evil.
23 Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης ἁγιάσαι ὑμᾶς ὁλοτελεῖς· καὶ ὁλόκληρον ὑμῶν τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἀμέμπτως ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τηρηθείη.
May God himself, the giver of peace, make you altogether holy; and may your spirits, souls, and bodies be kept altogether faultless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Πιστὸς ὁ καλῶν ὑμᾶς, ὃς καὶ ποιήσει.
He who calls you will not fail you; he will complete his work.
25 Ἀδελφοί, προσεύχεσθε περὶ ἡμῶν.
Friends, pray for us.
26 Ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς πάντας ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ.
Greet all the Lord’s followers with a sacred kiss.
27 Ὁρκίζω ὑμᾶς τὸν Κύριον, ἀναγνωσθῆναι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν πᾶσι τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀδελφοῖς.
I order you in the Lord’s name to have this letter read to all the brethren.
28 Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν.
May the blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
