1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you toward one another abounds, 4so that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your perseverance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure. 5This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of God’s Kingdom, for which you also suffer. 6For it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you, 7and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, 8punishing those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus, 9who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
11To this end we also pray always for you that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith with power, 12that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Silas is described, along with Paul, Barnabas and Judas, in Acts 15:22 as “chief men among the brethren” and a prophet selected to deliver a decree about Gentiles not needing to seek circumcision to be saved. He accompanied Paul and Timothy on the second missionary journey, replacing John Mark. He and Timothy were separated from Paul in Berea (Acts 17:14) but traveled together so they could rejoin Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:5). Silas, referred to by his Roman name, Silvanus, is listed as one of the senders of the letters to the Thessalonians (1 Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:1).