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+# 1 Thessalonians 1
+## 1:1
+
+### Was this book written as a letter?
+
+See: Ancient Letters
+
+### Why did Paul write about Silvanus and Timothy?
+
+Paul wrote about Silvanus and Timothy when he greeted the Christians at Thessalonica for several reasons:
+
+1. 2.  He reminded the Christians in Thessalonica that Silvanus and Timothy were with him when he
+1. started the church at Thessalonica.
+1. 2. He wanted the Christians in Thessalonica to know that Silvanus and Timothy returned to Paul.
+1. They were safe. That is, they were not hurt or put into prison. He wanted the Christians in
+1. Thessalonica to be happy to hear about this.
+1. 3. He wanted the Christians in Thessalonica to know that he had heard about them from people they
+1. could trust.
+1. 4. Paul wanted people to know that he who wrote his letters. Sometimes people said that Paul did not
+1. really write a letter. But the Thessalonian Christians knew Silvanus and Timothy worked with
+1. him. So, he wrote about Silvanus and Timothy so the Thessalonians would know that he really
+1. wrote this letter.
+
+See: Church
+
+See Map: Thessalonica
+
+## 1:3
+
+### Why did Paul write "we remember” you?
+
+When Paul wrote "we remember” you, he wanted the Christians in Thessalonica to know that he often
+prayed for them. He gave thanks to God for the way they believed in Jesus. He gave thanks to God for how
+they did things for God. He also thanked God because they continued to trust God. All of this honored God.
+So Paul wanted the Thessalonian Christians to know that he honored them when he prayed.
+
+See: Thanksgiving; Faith (Believe In); Hope
+
+### Why did Paul write "our God and Father"?
+When Paul wrote "our God and Father," he wanted his readers to think about God. He was not writing
+about two separate people or beings. Instead, he wanted to say that the Father is God.
+
+See: Trinity; God the Father
+
+## 1:4
+
+### Why did Paul write that God "chose" them?
+
+When Paul wrote that God "chose" the Christians in Thessalonica, he wanted the Christians in Thessalonica
+to know that God planned in some way that they would believe in him. God planned for people everywhere
+to believe in him before he created the world.
+
+Some scholars believe that God chose certain people to be Christians. Other scholars believe that God knew
+which people would believe in him before the person chose to believe.
+
+See: Elect
+
+## 1:5
+
+### Why did Paul write "our gospel"?
+
+When Paul wrote "our gospel," he wanted the Thessalonian Christians to remember what he taught them.
+He taught them about Jesus when Paul lived in Thessalonica. He taught them right things about Jesus. He
+wanted them to remember these things and to not think about the wrong things that other people said.
+
+See: Gospel; False Teacher
+
+## 1:6
+### Why did Paul write "imitators of us and of the Lord"?
+
+Paul wrote that the Thessalonians were "imitators of us and of the Lord,” He said this to say that the
+Christians in Thessalonica honored God. They did good things. They did the things they saw Paul do.
+When Paul lived in Thessalonica, they saw him do good things that honored God. They also heard him
+teach about Jesus. So they knew about the good things that Jesus did. Because they did things in the same
+way that Paul and Jesus did things, they honored God.
+
+### Why did Paul write "received the word with much joy"?
+When Paul wrote that the Thessalonian Christians "received the word with much joy", he wrote about how
+they learned from him. When he was in Thessalonica, he taught them the "word,"that is, the gospel about
+Jesus. They had "much joy." That is, they were very happy because of Jesus.
+Scholars believe that some people in Thessalonica persecuted the Christians there. However, Paul told them
+that their joy was greater than this persecution.
+
+See: Gospel; Persecute (Persecution); Rejoice (Joy, Joyful)
+
+See: Map:  Thessalonica; Corinth; Macedonia; Achaia
+
+## 1:8-10
+
+### What did Paul want to say in 1:8-10?
+
+In 1:8-10, Paul wanted to tell the Christians in Thessalonica that many people knew how they believed in
+God. People in other places knew the Thessalonians worshipped idols in the past. Those people heard that
+the Thessalonian Christians stopped worshipping idols. So those people knew that now the Thessalonian
+Christians worshipped the true God.
+
+See: Worship
+
+### Why did Paul write "has rung out" in 1:8?
+
+When Paul wrote that "from you the word of the Lord has rung out," he said that he knew the Christians in
+Thessalonica talked about Jesus to other people. He used the metaphor of a bell. A bell "rings out" so it is
+heard far away. People far away heard about the way the Thessalonian Christians talked about Jesus.
+
+See: Metaphor; Gospel
+
+### Why did Paul write "waiting for his Son from heaven" in 1:10?
+
+Paul wrote "waiting for his Son from heaven" because he wanted the Thessalonian Christians to know that
+Jesus will come to earth again. After he was killed and was made alive again, he returned to heaven. He
+will come back someday.  However, only God the Father knows exactly when he will return (see: Acts 1:9-
+11).
+Paul also said Christians should "wait" patiently until Jesus returns.
+
+See: Son of God; Heaven; God the Father
+
+### Why did Paul write about "wrath" in 1:10?
+
+Paul wrote about "wrath" to get his readers to think about how God will judge people because they sin.
+When someone has "wrath," they are very angry. God is very angry about people doing wrong things. So,
+someday he will judge and punish people who have sinned.
+However, Paul also wrote that Jesus "frees us from the wrath to come." He wanted his readers to remember
+that if they believe in Jesus, he will protect them from God’s judgement. Some scholars think Paul also
+wanted people to know Jesus helps people who believe in him not to do wrong things that make God angry.
+Some scholars think Paul wanted to say that the antichrist will not affect people who believe in Jesus.  
+
+See:  Wrath; Antichrist