The Rheims New Testament (1582) — 1 Thessalonians
Saint Paul's First Epistle to the Thessalonians, as printed in the Rheims New Testament of 1582, the English Catholic translation made from the Latin Vulgate at the English College, then in exile at Rheims, chiefly by Gregory Martin. The page gives the edition's argument of the book, all 5 chapters, each with its printed summary, every verse in the original spelling, and the marginal notes (cross-references, the days on which passages are read, and other readings); the edition's annotations follow 4 of the 5 chapters, as printed.
The Argument
❀ THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
HOVV S. Paul vvith Silas (or Siluanus) and Timothee according to a viſion calling him out of Aſia into Macedonia, came to Philippi being the firſt citie thereof, vve reade Act. 16. And hovv againe from Philippi, after ſcourging and impriſoning there, he came to Theſſalonica being the head citie of that countrie, vve reade Act. 17. vvhere after 3 vveekes preaching, the Ievves ſtirred the citie againſt them, and purſued them alſo to Beraea: ſo that Paul. vvas conucied from thence to Athens, vvhere he expected the cōming of Silas & Timothee from the foreſaid Beraea in Macedonia, but receiued them (as vve haue Act. 18.) at Corinth in Achaia.
Hauing therefore left the Theſſalonians in ſuch perſecution, and being careful to knovv hovv they did in it, he vvas deſirous to returne vnto them, as he ſignifieth in the 2 chapter of this Epiſtle v. 17. But (as he there addeth) Satan hindered vs. therefore tarying himſelf at Athens, he ſendeth Timothee vnto them, at vvhoſe returne vnderſtanding their conſtancie, he is much comforted, as he declareth c. 3. So then they are all three together at the vvriting of this Epiſtle, as alſo vve haue in the title of it: Paul and Siluanus and Timothee to the Church of the Theſſalonians. And therefore it ſeemeth to haue bene vvritten at Corinth, not at Athens: becauſe after the ſending of Timothee to Theſſadonica, they mette not at Athens againe, but at Corinth.
The firſt three chapters of it are, to confirme and comfort them againſt the tentations of thoſe perſecutions. The other tvvo are of exhortation, to liue according to his preceptes, namely in ſanctification of their bodies, and not in fornication: to loue one an other: to comfort one an other about their frendes departed, vvith the doctrine of the Reſurrection, and vvith continuall preparation to die: the laietie to obey, and the Cleargie to be diligent in euery point of their office.
Chapter 1
He thanketh G⟨illegible⟩ for them, ⟨illegible⟩ and gathereth that they are elect, becauſe his preaching at their firſt conuerſion vvas vvith diuine povver, and they on the other ſide receiued it vvith al ioy, notvvithſtanding the great perſecution that vvas raiſed againſt them.
1 PAVL and Siluanus and Timothee to the Church of the Theſſalonians in God the Father, & our Lord IESVS Chriſt. Grace to you and peace.
2 Vve giue thankes to God alvvaies for al you: making a memorie of you in our praiers without intermiſſiō,
3 mindeful of the vvorke of your faith and labour, and of the charitie, & of the enduring of the hope of our Lord IESVS Chriſt, before God and our father:
4 knovving brethren beloued of God, your election:
5 that our Goſpel hath not been to you in word only, but in povver and the holy Ghoſt, and in much fulneſſe, as you knovv vvhat maner of men vve haue been among you for your ſakes.
6 And you became ″ folovvers of vs, & of our Lord: receiuing the vvord in much tribulation, vvith ioy of the holy Ghoſt:
7 ſo that you were made a paterne to al that beleeue in Macedonia & in Achaia.
8 For from you vvas bruited the vvord of our Lord: not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in euery place, your faith vvhich is to God vvard, is proceded, ſo that it is not neceſſarie for vs to ſpeake any thing.
9 For they them ſelues report of vs vvhat maner of entring vve had to you: and how you are turned to God from Idols, to ſerue the liuing and true God,
10 and to expect his Sonne from heauen (vvhom he raiſed vp from the dead) IESVS, vvho hath deliuered vs from the vvrath to come. ⊢
Marginal notes to Chapter 1
- v. 2 The Epiſtle vpon the 6 Sunday after the Epiphanie.
- v. 9 ⸬ In this and the like places the Heretikes malitiouſly & moſt falſely tranſlate, conſtrue, & apply al things meāt of the Heathē idols, to the memories and images of Chriſt and his ſaincts, namely the Engliſh Bibles of the yere 1562. 1577. See the Annotatiō 1 Io. 5, 21.
Annotations to Chapter 1
ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I.
6. Folovvere of vs.] S. Paul is hold to commend them for imitation of him, yea and to ioyne him ſelf in that point vvith Chriſt, to be their paterne to vvalke after. Vvhere without curioſitie he nameth him ſelf firſt, and our Lord aftervvard, becauſe he vvas a more neere and ready obiect then Chriſt, vvho vvas not nor could not be folovved but through the preaching and conuerſation of the Apoſtle, vvho vvas in their ſight or hearing. And this imitation of ſome holy man or other, hath made ſo many Religious men of diuers orders and rules, al tending to the better imitation of Chriſt our Lord. See the like vvordes of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 11. ⟨illegible⟩. and Philip. 3, 17. [Margin: Religious perſons imitation of diuers holy men is the imitatiō of Chriſt him ſelf.]
Chapter 2
No calleth euen them ſelues to vvitnes, that his preaching vnto them vvas as he ſaid, in moſt commendable maner. ⟨illegible⟩ And againe on the other ſide he thanketh God for their maner of receiuing it: that is, vvith al ioy, notvvithſtanding the perſecution of their ovvne citizens.
1 FOR your ſelues knovv, brethren, our entrance vnto you, that it vvas not vaine:
2 but hauing ſuffered before and * been abuſed vvith contumelies (as you knovv) at Philippi, vve had confidence in our God, to ſpeake vnto you the Goſpel of God in much carefulnes.
3 For our exhortation vvas not of errour, nor of vncleanneſſe, nor in deceite:
4 but as vve vvere approued of God that the Goſpel ſhould be committed to vs, ſo vve ſpeake: not as pleaſing men, but God, vvho proueth our hartes.
5 For neither haue we been at any time in the vvord of adulation, as you knovv: nor in occaſion of auarice, God is vvitnes:
6 nor ſeeking glorie of men, neither of you, nor of others.
7 Vvhereas vve might haue been a burdē to you, as the Apoſtles of Chriſt: but vve became children' in the middes of you, as if a nource I ſhould cheriſh her children:
8 ſo hauing a deſire to you, vve would gladly deliuer vnto you not only the Goſpel of God, but alſo our ovvne ſoules: becauſe you are become moſt deere vnto vs.
9 For you are mindeful, brethren, of * our labour and toile. day & night vvorking, leſt vve ſhould charge any of you, vve preached among you the Goſpel of God.
10 You are vvitneſſes and God, hovv holily and iuſtly and vvithout blame, vve haue been to you that did beleeue.
11 as you knovv in vvhat maner we deſiring and comforting you, haue adiured euery one of you (as a father his children) that you vvould vvalke vvorthie of God, vvho hath called you into his kingdom and glorie.
12 Therfore vve alſo giue thankes to God vvithout intermiſſion: becauſe that vvhen you had receiued of vs the vvord of the hearing of God, you receiued it not as the vvord of men, but (as it is in deede) ″ the vvord of God, who vvorketh in you that haue beleeued.
13 For you, brethren, are become folovvers of the churches of God that be in Iewrie, in Chriſt IESVS: for you alſo haue ſuffered the ſame things of your ovvne lineage, as they alſo of the Ievves,
14 vvho both killed our Lord IESVS, and the Prophets, and haue perſecuted vs, and pleaſe not God, and are aduerſaries to al men,
15 prohibiting vs to ſpeake to the Gentiles that they may be ſaued, to make vp their ſinnes alvvaies. for the vvrath of God is come vpon them euen to the end.
16 But vve, brethren, depriued of you for a ſhort time, in ſight, not in hart: haue haſtened the more aboundantly to ſee your face vvith much deſire.
17 For vve vvould haue come to you, I Paul certes, once and againe: but Satan hath hindred vs.
18 For vvhat is our hope, or ioy, or crovvne of glorie? Are not you before our Lord IESVS Chriſt in his comming?
19 For you are our glorie and ioy.
Marginal notes to Chapter 2
- v. 2 ᶜ A notable example for Catholike preachers, and paſsing comfortable, whē in the middes of perſecutiōs and reproches they preache ſincerely, to pleaſe God & not men.
- v. 2 Act. 16, 12. 23.
- v. 7 ` milde
- v. 8 Act. 20, 34. 1. Cor. 4, 12.
- v. 9 2. Theſ. 3,
- v. 16 ᶜ ⟨non-Latin script⟩
- v. 18 ⸬ If the Apoſtle vvithout iniurie to god, in right good ſenſe call his ſcholers the Theſſaloniās, his hope, ioy, glorie: vvhy blaſpheme the Proteſtāts the Cath. Church & her childrē for terming our B. Ladie or other Sainctes, their hope, for the ſpecial conſidēce they haue in their praiers?
Annotations to Chapter 2
ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II.
12. The vvord of God.] The Aduerſaries vvil haue no vvord of God but that vvhich is vvritten and conteined in the Scripture: but here they might learne that al Paules preaching before he vvrote to them, vvas the very vvord of God. They might alſo learne that vvhat ſo euer the lavvful Apoſtles, Paſtors, and Prieſtes of Gods Church preach in the vnitie of the ſame Church, is to be taken for Gods ovvne vvord, and ought not to be reputed of them for doctrines of men or ⟨illegible⟩ariſaical traditions, as they falſly call canons, precepts, and decrees of holy Church. [Margin: Not only the vvrittē vvord is the vvord of God.]
Chapter 3
Becauſe he could not come himſelf, as he deſired, he ſent Timothes, 6 At vvhoſe returne novv vnderſtanding it as they ſtand ſtill ſtedfaſt, notvvithſtāding al thoſe perſecutions, he reioyceth excedingly: to praying that he may ſee them agaīſt, 12 and for their increaſe in ⟨illegible⟩.
1 FOR the vvhich cauſe forbearing no longer, it pleaſed vs to remaine at Athens, alone.
2 And vve ſent Timothee our brother, & the miniſter of God in the Goſpel of Chriſt, to confirme you and exhort you for your faith,
3 that no man be moued in theſe tribulations, for your ſelues knovv, that vve are appointed to this.
4 For euen vvhē vve vvere vvith you, vve foretold you that vve ſhould ſuffer tribulatiōs, as alſo it is come to paſſe, & you knovv.
5 Therfore I alſo forbearing no lōger, ſent to knovv your faith: leſt perhaps he that tempteth, hath tempted you, & our labour be made vaine.
6 But now * Timothee cōming vnto vs frō you, & reporting to vs your faith & charitie, and that you haue a good remēbrance of vs alvvaies, deſiring to ſee vs, as vve alſo you:
7 therfore vve are cōforted, brethrē, in you, in al our neceſſitie & tribulation, by your faith,
8 becauſe novv vve liue, if you ſtand in our Lord.
9 For vvhat thankes giuing can vve render to God for you, in al ioy vvherevvith vve reioyce for you before our God,
10 night and day more aboundantly praying that vve may ſee your face, and may accompliſh thoſe things that vvant of your faith.
11 And God him ſelf and our Father, and our Lord IESVS Chriſt direct our vvay to you.
12 And our Lord multiplie you, and make your charitie abound one to an other, & tovvard al men: as vve alſo in you,
13 to cōfirme your hartes vvithout blame, in holineſſe, before God and our Father, in the comming of our Lord IESVS Chriſt vvith al his Sainctes. Amen.
Marginal notes to Chapter 3
- v. 5 Act. 18, 5.
- v. 10 ⸬ Though letters or epiſtles in abſēce giue great comfort and confirmation in faith, yet it is preaching in preſence by vvhich the faith of Chriſt and true religion is alvvais both begunne and accompliſhed.
Chapter 4
He exhorteth them to liue as he taught them: and namely to abſteine from al fornicatiō, 9 to loue one an other. 11 to meddle onely vvith their ovvne matters, 12 to behaue them ſelues vvel tovvard the Infidels. 13 Touching their frendes departed, he comforteth them, ſhevving that they ſhal meate againe as the Reſurrection, and be vvith Chriſt for euer.
1 FOR the reſt therfore, brethren, vve deſire & beſeeche you in our Lord IESVS, that as you haue receiued of vs hovv you ought to vvalke, and to pleaſe God, as alſo you doe vvalke, that you abounde more.
2 For you knovv vvhat precepts I haue giuen to you by our Lord IESVS.
3 For this is the vvil of God, your ſanctificatiō: that you abſtaine from fornication,
4 that euery one may knovv to poſſeſſe his veſſel in ſanctification and honour:
5 not in the paſſion of luſt, as alſo the Gentiles that knovv not God,
6 and that no man ouergot, nor circumuent his brother in buſineſſe: becauſe our Lord is reuenger of al theſe things, as vve haue foretold you, & haue teſtified.
7 For God hath not called vs into vncleanneſſe: but into ſanctification. ⊢
8 Therfore he that deſpiſeth theſe things, deſpiſeth ″ not man but God, vvho alſo hath giuen his holy Spirit in vs.
9 But concerning the charitie of the fraternitie, vve haue no neede to vvrite to you: ✝ for * your ſelues haue learned of God to loue one an other.
10 Yea and you doe it tovvard al the brethren in al Macedonia. But vve deſire you brethrē, that you aboūd more:
11 & that you employ your indeuour to be quiet, & that you doe your ovvne buſineſſe, & vvorke vvith your ovvne handes, as we haue cōmaunded you:
12 and that you vvalke honeſtly tovvard them that are vvithout: and neede nothing of any mans.
13 And vve vvil not haue you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that ″ ſleepe, that you be not ſorovvful, as alſo others that haue no hope.
14 For if vve beleeue that IESVS died and roſe againe, ſo alſo God them that haue ſlept by IESVS vvil bring vvith him.
15 For this vve ſay to you in the vvord of our Lord, * that vve vvhich liue, vvhich are remaining in the aduent of our Lord, ſhal not preuent them that haue ſlept.
16 For our Lord him ſelf in commaundement and in the voice of an * Archangel and in the trōpet of God vvil deſcend from heauen: and the dead that are in Chriſt, ſhal riſe againe firſt.
17 Then vve that liue, that are left, vvithal ſhal be taken vp vvith them in the cloudes to meete Chriſt, into the aire, and ſo alvvaies vve ſhal be vvith our Lord.
18 Therfore cōfort ye one an other in theſe vvordes. ⊢
Marginal notes to Chapter 4
- v. 1 The Epiſtle vpon the 2 Sunday in Lent.
- v. 9 ᶜ Al Catholike Chriſtians make one fraternitie or brotherhod.
- v. 9 Io. 13, 34 15, 17.
- v. 9 Heb 13, 1
- v. 10 ⸬ Chriſtian men ought to procede and profite continually in good vvorkes and iuſtification.
- v. 13 The Epiſtle in a Maſſe for the dead vpon the day of the burial or depoſition.
- v. 14 1. Cor. 15, 23.
- v. 15 ⸬ He ſpeaketh in the perſon of thoſe that ſhal be aliue vvhen our Sauiour returneth to iudgement.
- v. 16 Mt. 24, 31. 1. Cor. 13, 52.
Annotations to Chapter 4
ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII.
8. Not man but God.] He that deſpiſeth the Churches or her lavvful Paſtors precept⟨illegible⟩, offendeth no leſſe then if he contemned Gods expreſſe commaundements. For they be of the holy Ghoſt, and are not to be counted among the commaundements of men onely. [Margin: The precepts of the Church.]
13. Sleepe.] Some Heretikes peruerſly inferred of this that the foules did ſleepe til the day of iudgement: vvhere it is meant of the bodies onely.
Chapter 5
To talke of the time of the Reſurrection it not neceſſarie, but to prepare our ſelues againſt that time ſo ſedaine and ſo terrible to the vnprepared. 12 He beſeecheth the ⟨illegible⟩aietie to be obedient, 14 and the Clergia to be vigilant, vvith many ſhort precepts mee.
1 AND of the times and momentes, brethren, you neede not that vve vvrite to you.
2 For your ſelues knovv perfectly that the day of our Lord ſhal ſo come, as * a theefe in the night.
3 For vvhen they ſhal ſay, peace & ſecuritie: then ſhal ſodaine deſtruction come vpon them, as the paines to her that is vvith childe, and they ſhal not eſcape.
4 But you brethren are not in darkneſſe: that the ſame day may as a theefe ouertake you.
5 For al you are the children of light, and children of the day: vve are not of the night nor of darkneſſe.
6 Therfore let vs not ſleepe as alſo others: but let vs vvatch and be ſober.
7 For they that ſleepe, ſleepe in the night: & they that be drunke, be drunke in the night.
8 But vve that are of the day, are ſober, * hauing on the breaſt-plate of faith and charitie, and a helmet, the hope of ſaluation.
9 For God hath not appointed vs vnto vvrath, but vnto the purchaſing of ſaluation by our Lord IESVS Chriſt,
10 vvho died for vs: that vvhether vve vvatch, or ſleepe, vve may liue together vvith him.
11 For the vvhich cauſe comfort one an other: & edifie one an other, as alſo you doe.
12 And vve beſeeche you brethren, that you vvil knovv them that labour among you, and that gouerne you in our Lord, and admoniſh you:
13 that you haue them more aboudātly in charitie for their vvorke. haue peace vvith them.
14 And vve beſeeche you brethren, admoniſh the vnquiet, comfort the vveake-minded, beare vp the vveake, be patient to al.
15 See that * none render euil for euil to any man: but alvvaies that vvhich is good purſue tovvards eche other, and tovvards al.
16 Alvvaies reioyce.
17 Pray * vvithout intermiſſion.
18 In al things giue thankes. for this is the vvil of God in Chriſt IESVS in al you.
19 The Spirit extinguiſh not.
20 Prophecies deſpiſe not.
21 But ″ prooue al things: hold that which is good.
22 From al appearance of euil refraine yourſelues.
23 And the God of peace him ſelf ſanctifie you in al things: that your vvhole ſpirit, and ſoule and body vvithout blame may be preſerued in the comming of our Lord IESVS Chriſt. ⊢
24 He is faithful, that hath called you, vvho alſo vvil doe it.
25 Brethren pray for vs.
26 Salute al the brethren in a holy kiſſe.
27 I adiure you by our Lord that this epiſtle be read to al the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord IESVS Chriſt be vvith you. Amen.
Marginal notes to Chapter 5
- v. 2 Mt. 24, 44. 2 Pet. 3, 10
- v. 3 Apoc. 3, 3 16, 15.
- v. 8 Eſa. 59, 17. Eph. 6, 17.
- v. 8 ⸬ A chriſtian mans vvhole armour is not faith only, but al the three vertues here named.
- v. 14 ᵇ The Epiſtle vpō the Imber Saturday in Lent.
- v. 14 Pro. 17, 13. Ro. 12 1. Pet. 3, 9.
- v. 15 Luc. 18, 1.
- v. 17 ᶜ To deſire eternal life of him that onely can giue it, is to pray vvithout intermiſſion: but becauſe that deſire is oftē by worldly cares cooled, certaīe houres and times of vocal praier vvere appointed. See S. Aug. ep. 121 ad Probam.
Annotations to Chapter 5
ANNOTAT. CHAP. V.
10 But proous.] Though vve may not extinguiſh the ſpirit, nor cōtēmne the prophets, yet vve muſt bevvare vve be not deceiued by geuing to light credite to euery one that vaūteth him ſelf of the ſpirit, as Arch-heretikes euer did. vve muſt trie th⟨illegible⟩ by the doctrine of the Apoſtles & the Spirit of the Catholike Church, vvhich can not be guile ⟨illegible⟩ [Margin: Not raſhly to credite euery ſpirit.]
Colophon
Printed edition: The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ, translated faithfully into English, out of the authentical Latin … in the English College of Rhemes (Rhemes: Iohn Fogny, 1582; STC 2884, ESTC S102491), the Catholic New Testament translated from the Latin Vulgate chiefly by Gregory Martin. Copy transcribed: the Eton College Library copy, as filmed for Early English Books Online (image set 2646).
Transcription: Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP), Phase I text A16049 (keyed 2005–06, proofread and released 2006), placed in the public domain under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal. Converted for the Good Works Library in October 2026.
What was done: the spelling, punctuation and capitals of the transcription are kept exactly, including u/v, i/j, "vv" for w, long s (ſ), the abbreviation stroke (as in "vpō") and the edition's own marks (″ for an annotated word, ⸬ and * for marginal references, ⊢ for the end of a liturgical Gospel or Epistle; ▪ is the transcribers' sign for a punctuation mark they could not identify). Removed as apparatus: the TEI markup, page breaks, line-end hyphenation, and the small cross ✝ that the edition sets at the beginning of each verse beside the verse number in the margin; the number is given here instead. Marginal notes are gathered after each chapter, keyed to their verse; the annotations follow as the edition prints them. Words the transcribers could not read are shown as ⟨illegible⟩; words printed in Greek or other non-Latin letters, which the transcription did not key, are shown as ⟨non-Latin script⟩. No gap has been filled or guessed.
The book's heading in the edition reads: "THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS." The page title gives it in ordinary capitals and lower case, without other change.
Notes on this transcription: 1 Thessalonians 4:9: a verse cross ✝ stands within this verse with no verse number beside it; kept as printed.
On this page 10 places are marked ⟨illegible⟩ and 1 word or phrase in Greek or other non-Latin letters is marked ⟨non-Latin script⟩.
This is an archival transcription of a historic English Bible. It is not a Good Works Translation.
🌲