Discipleship Material
1 Thessalonians

The First Epistle of Paul

to the Thessalonians

Block Diagrammed

One of the pressing needs of any serious student of Scripture is an understanding of the syntax of a given passage.  Syntax refers to the interrelationships of paragraphs, sentences, phrases, clauses, and words.  The purpose of Block Diagramming is to graphically illustrate the syntax of a passage of Scripture. The Block Diagramming process involves the laying out of a passage of Scripture by indenting subordinate linguistic units while maintaining the word order of the given text or translation.  This allows the student of Scripture to determine the Divinely-inspired structure of the passage, its key features, and main points, so as to enhance the study and understanding of God’s Word.

Ronald Jay Frasco

Scripture taken from

the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (R), (C)

Copyright The Lockman Foundation

1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977

Used by permission.

1:1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, 

 To the church of the Thessalonians 

  in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 

 Grace to you and peace.

:2  We give thanks to God always for all of you, 

  making mention of you in our prayers;

:3   constantly bearing in mind 

   your work of faith 

   and labor of love 

   and steadfastness of hope 

    in our Lord Jesus Christ 

    in the presence of our God and Father,

:4     knowing, 

     brethren beloved by God, 

    His choice of you;

:5      for our gospel did not come to you in word only, 

     but also in power and in the Holy Spirit 

     and with full conviction; 

      just as you know what kind of men we proved 

      to be among you for your sake.

:6      You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, 

      having received the word 

       in much tribulation 

       with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

:7       so that you became an example to all the 

      believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

:8        For the word of the Lord has sounded 

       forth from you, 

        not only in Macedonia and Achaia, 

        but also in every place your faith 

        toward  God has gone forth, 

        so that we have no need to say 

        anything.

:9          For they themselves report about 

         us what kind of a reception we had 

         with you, 

         and how you turned 

          to God 

          from idols 

          to serve a living and true God,

:10          and to wait for His Son from 

          heaven, 

           whom He raised from the 

           dead, 

           that is Jesus, 

            who rescues us from 

            the wrath to come. 

2:1     For you yourselves know, brethren, 

     that our coming to you was not in vain,

:2      but 

      after we had already suffered 

      and been mistreated in Philippi, 

       as you know, 

     we had the boldness 

      in our God 

     to speak to you the gospel of God 

      amid much opposition.

:3       For our exhortation does not come 

       from error 

       or impurity 

       or by way of deceit;

:4       but 

      just as we have been approved 

       by God 

      to be entrusted with the gospel, 

      so we speak, 

      not as pleasing men, 

      but God who examines our hearts.

:5        For we never came with flattering speech, 

        as you know, 

       nor with a pretext for greed

        —God is witness—

:6        nor did we seek glory from men, 

        either from you or from others, 

        even though 

         as apostles of Christ 

        we might have asserted our authority. 

:7        But we proved to be gentle among you, 

        as a nursing mother tenderly cares 

        for her own children.

:8         Having so fond an affection for you, 

       we were well-pleased to impart to you 

        not only the gospel of God 

        but also our own lives, 

         because you had become very 

         dear to us.

:9         For you recall, brethren, our labor 

        and hardship, 

        how 

         working night and day 

          so as not to be a burden to any 

          of you, 

        we proclaimed to you the gospel of 

        God.

:10       You are witnesses, 

       and so is God, 

       how 

        devoutly 

        and uprightly 

        and blamelessly 

       we behaved toward you believers;

:11        just as you know how we were 

         exhorting 

         and encouraging 

         and imploring 

        each one of you 

         as a father would his own children,

:12          so that you would walk in a 

          manner worthy of the God 

          who calls you into His own 

          kingdom and glory.

:13     For this reason we also constantly thank God 

     that 

      when you received the word of God 

       which you heard from us, 

     you accepted it 

      not as the word of men, 

      but for what it really is, 

      the word of God, 

       which also performs its work in you who 

       believe.

:14      For you, brethren, became imitators of the 

      churches of God 

       in Christ Jesus 

       that are in Judea, 

       for you also endured the same sufferings 

        at the hands of your own 

        countrymen, 

        even as they did from the Jews,

:15         who both killed the Lord Jesus 

         and the prophets, 

         and drove us out. 

        They are not pleasing to God, 

        but hostile to all men,

:16         hindering us from speaking to the 

         Gentiles 

          so that they may be saved; 

        with the result that they always fill 

        up the measure of their sins. 

        But wrath has come upon them to the 

        utmost.

 :17 But we, brethren, 

  having been taken away from you for a short while

   —in person, not in spirit—

 were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.

:18  For we wanted to come to you

   —I, Paul, more than once—

  and yet Satan hindered us.

:19   For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? 

   Is it not even you, 

    in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

:20    For you are our glory and joy.

3:1 Therefore 

  when we could endure it no longer, 

 we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone,

:2  and we sent Timothy, 

  our brother 

  and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, 

 to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,

:3   so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; 

   for you yourselves know that we have been destined for 

   this.

:4     For indeed 

     when we were with you, 

    we kept telling you in advance that we were going 

    to suffer affliction; 

    and so it came to pass, as you know.

:5  For this reason, 

   when I could endure it no longer, 

  I also sent to find out about your faith, 

   for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, 

   and our labor would be in vain.

:6  But now that Timothy has come to us from you, 

  and has brought us good news of your faith and love, 

  and that you always think kindly of us, 

   longing to see us just as we also long to see you,

:7     for this reason, brethren, 

     in all our distress and affliction 

    we were comforted about you through your faith;

:8      for now we really live, 

     if you stand firm in the Lord.

:9       For what thanks can we render 

       to God 

       for you 

       in return for all the joy 

        with which we rejoice before our God 

         on your account,

:10      as we night and day keep praying most 

      earnestly that we may see your face, 

      and may complete what is lacking in your 

      faith?

:11 Now may 

  our God and Father Himself 

  and Jesus our Lord 

 direct our way to you;

:12 and may the Lord cause you 

  to increase 

  and abound in love 

   for one another, 

   and for all people, 

  just as we also do for you;

:13   so that He may establish your hearts 

    without blame 

    in holiness 

    before our God and Father 

     at the coming of our Lord Jesus 

      with all His saints.

4:1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you 

  in the Lord Jesus, 

 that 

  as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to 

  walk and please God 

   (just as you actually do walk), 

 that you excel still more.

:2   For you know what commandments we gave you 

   by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

:3    For this is the will of God, 

   your sanctification; that is, 

    that you abstain from sexual immorality;

:4     that each of you know how to possess his own 

    vessel in sanctification and honor,

:5      not in lustful passion, 

      like the Gentiles who do not know God;

:6     and that no man transgress and defraud his brother 

    in the matter 

     because the Lord is the avenger 

      in all these things, 

     just as we also told you before 

     and solemnly warned you.

:7     For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, 

    but in sanctification.

:8     So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man 

    but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

:9 Now 

  as to the love of the brethren, 

 you have no need for anyone to write to you, 

  for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

:10   for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren 

   who are in all Macedonia. 

 But we urge you, brethren, 

 to excel still more,

:11 and to make it your ambition 

  to lead a quiet life 

  and attend to your own business 

  and work with your hands, 

   just as we commanded you,

:12   so that you will behave properly toward outsiders 

   and not be in any need. 

:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about 

 those who are asleep, 

  so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

:14   For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, 

   even so God will bring 

    with Him 

   those who have fallen  asleep in Jesus.

:15    For this we say to you 

     by the word of the Lord, 

    that we who are alive and remain 

     until the coming of the Lord, 

    will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

:16     For the Lord Himself will descend 

      from heaven 

      with a shout, 

      with the voice of the archangel 

      and with the trumpet of God, 

     and the dead in Christ will rise first.

:17     Then we 

      who are alive and remain 

     will be caught up together 

      with them 

      in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, 

     and so we shall always be with the Lord.

:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. 

5:1 Now 

  as to the times and the epochs, 

 brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.

:2   For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord 

  will come just like a thief in the night.

:3    While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” 

   then destruction will come upon them suddenly like 

   labor pains upon a woman with child, 

   and they will not escape. 

:4  But you, brethren, are not in darkness, 

  that the day would overtake you like a thief;

:5   for you are all sons of light and sons of day. 

 We are not of night nor of darkness;

:6  so then let us not sleep as others do, 

 but let us be alert and sober.

:7   For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, 

  and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

:8   But 

   since we are of the day, 

  let us be sober, 

   having put on the breastplate of faith and love, 

   and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

:9     For God has not destined us for wrath, 

    but for obtaining salvation 

     through our Lord Jesus Christ,

:10      who died for us, 

       so that 

        whether we are awake 

        or asleep, 

       we will live together with Him.

:11 Therefore encourage one another 

 and build up one another, 

  just as you also are doing.

:12 But we request of you, brethren, 

 that you appreciate those 

  who diligently labor among you, 

  and have charge over you in the Lord 

  and give you instruction,

:13 and that you esteem them very highly 

  in love 

  because of their work. 

 Live in peace with one another.

:14 We urge you, brethren, 

  admonish the unruly, 

  encourage the fainthearted, 

  help the weak, 

  be patient with everyone.

:15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, 

 but always seek after that which is good for one another 

 and for all people.

:16 Rejoice always;

:17 pray without ceasing;

:18  in everything 

 give thanks; 

  for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

:19 Do not quench the Spirit;

:20 do not despise prophetic utterances.

:21 But examine everything carefully; 

 hold fast to that which is good;

:22 abstain from every form of evil. 

:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; 

 and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, 

  without blame 

  at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

:24 Faithful is He who calls you, 

 and He also will bring it to pass.

:25 Brethren, pray for us.

:26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.

:27 I adjure you 

  by the Lord 

 to have this letter read to all the brethren.

:28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.