1 Thess 1:1-10
With the exception of Galatians, all of the Pauline letters addressed to churches have a thanksgiving section immediately following the prescript (cf. Rom. 1:8–15; 1 Cor. 1:4–9; Phil. 1:3–11; Col. 1:3–8; 2 Thes. 1:3–12). 2 Cor. 1:3–7 and Eph. 1:3–14
Beginning in v. 4 and continuing to v. 10 Paul takes up the conversion of his readers. This theme is elaborated upon in the narration in 2:1–12, which is followed by Paul’s thanksgiving for his readers’ conversion in 2:13. In v. 6 Paul mentions the persecution experienced by the Thessalonians at the time of their conversion and how it led to their becoming imitators of himself and the Lord. This provides the theme of the digression in 2:14–16 as well as the underlying motif in the continuation of the narration found in 2:17–3:5. The second part of the narration furnishes the basis for the third thanksgiving in 3:6–10. Similarly, the subject of eschatological expectation, of central importance in 4:13–5:11, is first announced in 1:9f.