Thessalonians, 1 and 2

Paul wrote both letters around AD 51 to the church he started in Thessalonica during a stay of only three weeks. His coworkers Silas and Timothy had been with him. Paul had been forced to leave Thessalonica because of opposition from Jewish leaders. He went on to Berea, then Athens, and finally Corinth, but sent Timothy back to Thessalonica from Athens. After Timothy returned to Corinth with a good report of the new church in Thessalonica, Paul wrote the first letter to the Thessalonians. The people of Thessalonica were so excited about the promise of the second coming of Jesus that some had given up their jobs. Paul wrote to tell them that no one knows for sure when Christ will come again. Each person must live in a way that pleases God. The second letter was written a few months after the first letter to encourage these new Christians to remain faithful to Christ, even through persecution.