1 aPaul and bSilvanus and cTimothy, 2 aGrace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We ought always ato give thanks to God for you, bbrethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the clove of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; 4 therefore, we ourselves aspeak proudly of you among bthe churches of God for your perseverance and faith bin the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 This is a aplain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be bconsidered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 6 For after all ait is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well awhen the Lord Jesus will be revealed bfrom heaven cwith His mighty angels din flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who ado not know God and to those who bdo not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of aeternal destruction, baway from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be aglorified in His saints on that bday, and to be marveled at among all who have believed--for our ctestimony to you was believed. 11 To this end also we apray for you always, that our God will bcount you worthy of your ccalling, and fulfill every desire for dgoodness and the ework of faith with power, 12 so that the aname of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.