Complete Luther Library

42. preface from the first epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians. *)

Volume 14 from the one-column St. Louis Edition English DOCX texts, reformatted for mobile reading on Last Christian Ministries.

Source text used with permission from Back to Luther.

Volume 14

42. preface from the first epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians. *)

Return to Volume 14

This epistle is written by St. Paul out of special love and apostolic concern. For he praises them through the first two chapters, how they accepted the gospel from him with such earnestness that they also persevered in it through suffering and persecution, and became a beautiful example of faith to all the common people everywhere, and like Christ and his apostles, suffered persecution from the Jews, their own friends, as he himself had also suffered among them, as an example to them, and led a holy life among them. He thanked God that his gospel had produced such fruit among them.

2. in the third, he shows his diligence and care that such his work and its praiseworthy beginning are not destroyed by the devil and his

The apostles would be offended with the doctrines of men. That is why he sent Timothy to them beforehand to find out. He thanked God that it was still found to be true among them and wished them to increase.

In the fourth, he exhorts them to beware of sins and to do good to one another. In addition, he answers a question they had asked him through Timothy about the resurrection of the dead, whether they will all be resurrected at the same time or one after the other.

4 In the fifth, he writes about the last day, how it should come quickly and swiftly. He gives them some good orders to govern the others and how they should behave toward each other's lives and teachings.