1 Thessalonians 1 (KJV)

A joyful Thessalonian church turns from shadowed idols as messengers carry the gospel down roads toward the sunlit Macedonian coast. — CHAPTER VISUAL
1 Thessalonians 1 — The church receives the word in affliction and joy, turns from idols, and becomes an example as its faith sounds throughout the region.
About this illustration
The courtyard and departing messengers combine conversion, service, and the gospel’s regional spread. The idols are set aside rather than smashed, and the awaited Son is suggested by dawn without a speculative heavenly appearance.
Scripture basis: 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10

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.
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.

King James Version · Standardized 1769 text with Strong’s numbering · Public domain outside the United Kingdom

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Related Watchman 33 Resources

Archaeological Evidence

ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript

3rd Century

Papyrus P65: 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10 in a Greek Witness

P65, PSI XIV 1373 in Florence, is a third- or possibly fourth-century Greek papyrus codex fragment preserving 1 Thessalonians 1:3–2:1 and 2:6–13 and now argued to come from the same Pauline codex as P49.

1 Thessalonians 1:3–10 · 1 Thessalonians 2:1 · 1 Thessalonians 2:6–13

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