Paul wrote this letter on his second missionary journey. He had to leave Thessalonica because Jews had caused a riot, so Paul and Silas left at night and left to Berea, but the Jews in Thessalonica followed them there, so Paul sailed on to Athens and then Corinth, and Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea (Acts 17:14). Paul kept hoping to go back to the new church there, but "Satan stopped us" (2:18). They sent Timothy there to check up on them and to see if their faith was still strong, and when Timothy arrived back, he gave great news that the church was faithful. Paul was encouraged that the church in Thessalonica thought fondly of them, and they continued to live in the example of Paul and his friends and the Lord Jesus. Paul professed that their time and ministry there was not a failure, and he challenged them, "to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory" (2:11-12). He ended this section with a prayer to the people, that the Lord would allow them to come and visit. Then he said, "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you."
