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 THESSALONIANS 
Church Order. 12We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are laboring among you and who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you, 13and to show esteem for them with special love on account of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
14We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all. 15See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good [both] for each other and for all.g 16Rejoice always. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.h 19* Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophetic utterances. 21Test everything; retain what is good. 22Refrain from every kind of evil. Concluding Prayer. 23* May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.i 24The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. 25Brothers, pray for us [too].
IV. FINAL GREETING
26Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.* 27I adjure you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers. 28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
The letter ends by urging the Thessalonians to live at peace not only with their fellow Christians but with all people. Catholic social teaching tells us that we have an obligation to be good citizens, to care about what happens around us, to get involved and advocate on behalf of the poor.
5:14
Paul’s advice is as good today as ever: to live consciously, openly, not quenching the Spirit, but at the same time not accepting everything
at face value. Discernment is key.
Angels
blowing trumpets.
A medieval miniature, Book of Revelation
g. [5:15] Prv 20:22; Mt 5:38–42; Rom 12:17.
h. [5:18] Eph 5:20.
i. [5:23] 2 Thes 3:16.
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* [5:19–21] Paul’s buoyant encouragement of charismatic freedom sometimes occasioned excesses that he or others had to remedy (see 1 Cor 14; 2 Thes 2:1–15; 2 Pt 3:1–16).
* [5:23] Another possible translation is, “May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and sanctify your spirit fully, and may both soul and body be preserved blameless for thecomingofourLordJesusChrist.”Ineithercase,Paulisnoto eringananthropological or philosophical analysis of human nature. Rather, he looks to the wholeness of what may be called the supernatural and natural aspects of a person’s service of God.
* [5:26] Kiss: the holy embrace (see Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Pt 5:14) was a greeting of respect and a ection, perhaps given during a liturgy at which Paul’s letter would have been read.