1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians is the fifty-second book of the Bible and one of the earliest of Paul's letters. It is traditionally attributed to Paul and is generally dated to around AD 50 to 51, written from Corinth not long after Paul had been forced to leave Thessalonica during his second missionary journey. The letter is addressed to the church he had recently founded there.

Paul had been driven out of Thessalonica by an angry crowd after only a few weeks. He had been worried about how the young church would hold up under the same opposition. He had sent his coworker Timothy back to check on them, and Timothy had returned with good news.

The first half of the letter expresses Paul's relief and joy. The Thessalonians are standing firm, their faith is being talked about throughout the region, they have become an example to other churches. Paul describes his own time among them and defends his motives against critics.

The second half turns to practical instruction and a topic that was clearly on the Thessalonians' minds: the second coming of Jesus and what happens to believers who die before it. Paul reassures them with a description of Jesus's return, including a voice of the archangel, the trumpet of God, the dead rising first, and the living caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The letter closes with brief practical instructions and final greetings.