| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 1 The Thessalonians' faith and example (1:1-10) calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, (1:3) | Endurance in faith | 7 Final exhortations (5:12-28) We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are laboring among you and who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you, 5:13 and to show esteem for them with special love on account of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. (5:12-13) |
| 2 Paul's ministry in Thessalonica (2:1-16) Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. (2:9) | Night and day | 6 The coming of the Lord (5:1-11) For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. (5:5) |
| 2 Paul's ministry in Thessalonica (2:1-16) But the wrath of God has finally begun to come upon them. (2:16) | Wrath of God | 6 The coming of the Lord (5:1-11) For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, (5:9) |
| 3 Paul's desire to visit the Thessalonians again (2:17-3:13) so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. (Amen.) (3:13) | The coming of Lord with holy ones | 5 Resurrection of dead (4:13-18) For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, (4:16) |
| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 1 The Thessalonians' faith and example (1:1-10) 1:6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the holy Spirit,(1:6) | Joy | 4 A life pleasing to God (4:1-12) 4:1 Finally, brothers, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God--and as you are conducting yourselves--you do so even more. (4:1) |
| 2 Paul's ministry in Thessalonica (2:1-16) 2:1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our reception among you was not without effect. (2:1) | Visit of Paul | 3 Paul's desire to visit the Thessalonians again (2:17-3:13) 2:18 We decided to go to you--I, Paul, not only once but more than once--yet Satan thwarted us. (2:18) |
| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 4 A life pleasing to God (4:1-12) 4:1 Finally, brothers, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus (4:1) | Exhortation for brothers | 7 Final exhortations (5:12-28) 5:14 We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all. (5:14) |
| 5 Resurrection of dead (4:13-18) 4:15 Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep.(4:15) | The day of the Lord | 6 The coming of the Lord (5:1-11) 5:2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. (5:2) |