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Tag: thessalonica

Thessalonians and the Righteous Judgment of God
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus,

unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians

WHY are the Thessalonians so special to Paul that the Apostle would write not one but TWO Epistles to their church from Athens?
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After all, hadn't Paul recorded that the Bereans were 'more noble than those in Thessalonica?' 

Actually, this much overstated passage from Acts of the Apostles 17 refers ONLY to the Jews.
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In addition to several Jews, including Jason who had been a leader of the local synagogue, the Church of the Thessalonians had many Macedonians (and perhaps Roman citizens as well.)

And some of them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Acts of the the Apostles 17:4 – Thessalonians during Second Missionary Journey ~ A.D. 50

ACTS 17:5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying,

These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; 7 whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. 8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea..
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Jason and other Jews have undoubtedly continued in Christ as members of the church in Thessalonica.
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And they [Berean believers] that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus [who had remained in Berea] for to come to him with all speed, they departed.
Acts of the Apostles 17:15 AKJV

Paul’s unfinished encouragement of the Thessalonians

Paul writes to the Thessalonians from Athens

18 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.. 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

How was our first epistle received?

PAUL, TIMOTHY, SILAS (Silvanus), Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others [from Athens and other cities] COMMUNICATED with the Church in places where Paul and Silas had proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ. Timothy, Jason and others became part of church leadership in cities throughout Asia Minor, Macedonia and Achaia.

APOSTLES SENT EPISTLES TO COMMUNICATE WITH AND SUSTAIN THE CHURCHES in a similar fashion as when in about A.D. 50 the Council of Jerusalem had sent clarifications of the faith into all the world of their ROMAN provinces.

The Apostles must have sent AND RECEIVED letters and brief messages much more frequently than these exemplary New Testament Epistles record.

Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians
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Once again PLEASE endure a most appropriate formality (17th c. King's English) of the KJV & Authorized KJV for this Apostolic Epistle. 
- RH
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~ A.D. 51 (a few months after Paul’s First Epistle)

.. we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
II Thessalonians 1:4b AKJV

Silas, Timothy, Jason and others had delivered first-hand or second-hand accounts of events in Thessalonica after Paul had escaped.

Paul knew that the Thessalonian believers were suffering. So the Apostle encourages the faithful:

5 which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
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Skipping ahead in Paul's Second Epistle:
II Thessalonians 3:6 
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Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. ..

11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

HOW did Paul, Silas and Timothy know about these serious challenges to the Thessalonians?

COMMUNICATION between church leaders and the Apostles.

IF you are SUFFERING on account of your witness of the Lord JESUS Christ GOD has chosen you and GOD will repay those who trouble you.

BUT IF some in your church DO NOT OBEY the commands and example of the Apostles they DO NOT and SHOULD NOT represent Christ as a member of your church.

When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed!

Paul preaches clearly about the Judgment to come.

II THESSALONIANS 1:7-12 AKJV – Paul’s Points concerning Judgment
- .. and to you who are troubled rest with us,
- when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven
- taking vengeance on them
  - that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
- who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,
  - and from the glory of his power;
- when he (The Lord Christ JESUS] shall come to be glorified in his saints (all believers),
- and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
- with his mighty angels,
- in flaming fire
Let no man deceive you
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Paul continues in encouraging these faithful Thessalonians currently enduring persecution to look forward to THE DAY Christ will return and draw the saints unto Him in victory over death.
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.. by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and by our gathering together unto him,

be not soon shaken

in mind,

or be troubled,

neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
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Don't believe such things.
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.. for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,

and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2 Thessalonians 2b-4 AKJV

ἄνομος ánomos – Wicked

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 AKJV

We can hardly overlook Paul’s warning of Satan’s deception which will precede the returning of Christ for those He has saved.

Persecuted Thessalonians would obey the Apostle – having received the Holy spirit AND to whom Paul had already written in his first epistle:
- He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. – 1 Thessalonians 4:8
- Quench not the Spirit. – 1 Th 5:19
- And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Th 5:23
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ONCE MORE PAUL ENCOURAGES BELIEVERS IN THE TRUTH OF THE RETURN AND JUDGMENT OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
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Pray that we might be delivered..
- .. pray for us
- ..that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men:
- for all men have not faith.
- But the Lord is faithful,
- .. and keep you from evil.
- And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
- And .. into the patient waiting for Christ.
Walk away from evil men
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I have already addressed [above] Paul's concern from evil influencers who claim to be 'christians' AND Paul's COMMAND to stay away from such men.
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But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
11 Thessalonians 3:13-15 AKJV

And so, my dear brother or sister in the Lord, WHY NOT respond to Paul’s Epistle by your COMMENT?

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel
February 29, 2024
Paul’s unfinished encouragement of the Thessalonians
Previously on Paul’s Second Mission

Start New Second Missionary Journey

The apostles sailed to Macedonia, Greece and Achaia

Second major stop

Thessalonica

THESSILONICA where they proclaim the Gospel to the Jews for THREE WEEKS.

Paul’s unfinished business with the Thessalonians – 1

AND NOW, in ~ A.D. 50 Paul writes back to the Thessalonians

THREE WEEKS?

Hardly enough time to establish a firm foundation of faith in NEW BELIEVERS!

~A.D. 51 – Paul writes to encourage the Thessalonian Church

Certainly Paul and other apostles must have wondered how the Thessalonians had fared since opponents of the Gospel of Jesus Christ had forced them to exit to Berea, 100 miles away, and cities further south in Greece and Achaia.

Mentioned among these new believers were Jason (Acts 17:5), Gaius (Acts 19:29), Aristarchus (Acts 20:4), and Secundus (Acts 20:4). Source

.. and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith..

.. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always remember us kindly, longing to see us just as we also long to see you..
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians 3:2,6 LSB

Paul’s First letter to the Thessalonians 1:

We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ before our God and Father..

The Apostle’s introductory points of encouragement

For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit
1 Thessalonians 2:3 LSB
- [You are] brothers beloved by God
- your election [by God]
- our gospel [came] to you in power and in the Holy Spirit
- You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
- You also became imitators of us and of the Lord [JESUS]
Even though these apostles had not remained in this city of some 200,000 Macedonians, comparable to a Common Era U.S. city of Columbus Ohio, to endure further persecution by the Judaizers, Paul and some of the other apostles would have known from their previous persecutions the afflictions of these new Thessalonian believers.
- You [Thessalonians] have had much affliction [YET] with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
.. you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth..
First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 1:7b-8a Legacy Standard Bible

.. just as you know how we were exhorting G3870 and encouraging and bearing witness to each one of you as a father would his own children..
1 Thessalonians 2:11 LSB
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Do you get the picture of evangelism by way of example of our Christ-like love in the community of our local church?
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19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Is it not even you, before our Lord Jesus at His coming?

20 For you are our glory and joy.

Roman ACHAIA (as we studied in ACTS) includes Athens of ancient Greece as an intellectual center

AND CORINTH, its capital and largest city of ~100,000 (including its rural areas).

Corinth – 1st Church Plant in ACHAIA

It is from Corinth that Paul writes back to the Thessalonians in ~ A.D. 51

Practical Christianity for NEW Christians in Thessalonica

we ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us as to how you ought to [conduct yourselves] walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

* Specific Ways to excel still more in holiness, hope and love.
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* source
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2 For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

PAUL’s HELPFUL LIST:
- abstain from [porneia] sexual immorality
- know how to possess his own [*]vessel in sanctification and honor
  - not in lustful passion
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* (literally or figuratively [specially, a wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband]):—goods, sail, stuff, vessel. 
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Paul’s extensive metaphor mentioning ‘lustful passion’ ‘and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter‘ pointedly establishes the standard of a monogamous marriage to a faithful wife by the Thessalonian brothers and without any adultery or coveting another man’s ‘vessel.’

Sanctification

Sanctification is the theological term describing a refining of our holiness in Christ.

⁷For God did not call us to impurity, but in sanctification.

⁸Consequently, he who sets this aside is not setting aside man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.
1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 LSB

God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. – 1 Thessalonians 4:7 New Living Translation
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IS YOUR CALL TO CHRIST NOW SANCTIFIED IN HOLINESS?
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Now concerning love of the brothers

‘Now as to the love of the brothers and sisters..’ reads the NASB20:

φιλαδελφία

1 Thessalonians 4:9

This LOVE is NOT erotic ‘love’ with which the world is enamored and against which Paul has already cautioned, but rather a familial love of a biological brother, i.e. philadelphia.
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How many christians, knowing better, have transgressed that line of love?

And as if to further warn believers concerning our sanctification in the loves of Christ Jesus, Paul adds:
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“.. for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another..”

This most personal, godly LOVE is agapaō.

ἀγαπᾶν ἀλλήλους

agapaō allēlōn

you yourselves are taught by GOD [theodidaktos] to Love one another.

of persons

to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly

of things

to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing

—each other, mutual, one another, (the other), (them-
- make it your ambition to lead a quiet life
- attend to your own business
- work with your hands
- walk [peripateō – lit. ‘behave‘] properly toward outsiders
  - have need of nothing
DEATH & LIFE

The Apostle Paul closes his first letter to the Thessalonians with a contemporary issue of the A.D. 50’s an ETERNAL and timeless warning also applicable in these last days of the Common Era of the 2020’s.

TWO TIMELINES
- ~A.D. 30 – JESUS Christ crucified by a Roman Governor [Pilate]
- A.D. 50’s – Paul, an Apostle of the risen CHRIST writes to the Thessalonians as ALL still live under ROMAN rule.
- A.D. 70 (Twenty years after Paul’s letter) – ROME besieges Jerusalem, drives out the Judeans and destroys the Temple of the Herod’s.
A COMMON ERA CAUTION
9/11/2001 C.E.

~ twenty years ago
2021 of the Common Era

TODAY’s contemporary challenges to Christians
- 2044 of the Common Era
  - Twenty years from TODAY? ? ?
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Without stepping into an apocalyptic mire of last days, let's briefly glance at Paul's exhortation for Christians living for an eternal God.
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Therefore comfort one another with these words.
- Do not grieve for those in Christ who have died.
IF WE BELIEVE..
- Jesus died and rose again
  - (John tells us that those are still living among the 500+ men who witnessed Christ’s resurrection just 20 years earlier.)
- God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [died] in Jesus.
- .. the Lord Himself will descend from heaven..
  - and the dead in Christ will rise first.
  - [Those] who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them [believers who have died] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air..
    
    NOW, in these last days of the Common Era, this would now include these Thessalonians along with other saints to whom the Apostle wrote.
- and so we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.

.. the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly..
Thessalonians 5:2b-3a LSB

4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief..
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Paul then reminds us once more of our obedient sanctification in Christ.
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.. let us be awake and sober.

For God has not appointed us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.
Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians 5:9-10 ~ A.D. 51

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it.

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Letters in your spare time

Letters from the Apostle Paul — To be continued… God-willing…
February 7, 2024
Paul’s unfinished business with the Thessalonians – 1
Apostles sent out – Leading through Letters

Paul’s THREE missions over ELEVEN years from ~ A.D. 49 to ~ A.D. 57 would have included 10 winters. All of the apostles would have had time to write while onboard ships traveling from one Roman port to another.

Furthermore all would have had time to write during inclement weather and send messages back and forth by messengers of their mission – many who we have met in various places in Acts of the Apostles.

During Paul’s FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY we read of several stops in CYPRESS including Paphos, as well as several towns in the general Roman region of GALATIA between Perga Pamphylia, Antioch Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (all in the inland mountains of GALATIA.)

Paul and Barnabas sent from Antioch Syria to the gentiles

Letters from other apostles?

We have just glanced at a letter during this time written by Paul to these Galatian churches. ALSO, during this time we know that JOHN MARK departed from this First Missionary Journey and recorded the first of four GOSPELS.

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Bar-nabas (Son of encouragement), the Levite Joseph of Cypress, may ALSO have sent letters and messages back and forth to his hometown and familiar towns where the apostles had build budding churches (although we have no record of it).

Through Many Afflictions Saul and Joseph return to Antioch

Luke records the names of several leading disciples of Christ from Paul’s second missionary journey in Acts of the Apostles.

a Who’s Who of Paul’s Three Missionary Journeys

Silas [or Silvanus], Timothy, Aquila & Priscilla, Luke

Even though the New Testament doesn’t include letters from any of these church leaders, we should be able to safely surmise that many wrote to leading churches where these disciples of The Way had worshiped before.

Apollos, perhaps Lydia and even Luke may have communicated with one or more churches to which they had proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And we know from Luke’s Second Account to Theophilus that James, one biological half-brother of the risen JESUS wrote a letter to the church in ~ A.D. 49 in addition to a later Epistles from him and his brother Jude.

Epistle from the Council of Jerusalem – Acts 15:20

Cities and Towns of Paul’s Second Mission

Start New Second Missionary Journey

“The apostles and the brothers who are elders,

to the brothers in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles,

greetings.
Acts of the Apostles 15:23b – Legacy Standard Bible – Letter from James and the Jerusalem Council

The A. D. 49 Letter from JERUSALEM sends out brothers and elders in ALL directions to many geographically nearby cities and provinces of Rome.

As a leading apostle from Antioch, Paul sets out to cities of Syria first (this time with Silas). Cilicia, of course, includes Paul’s familial city of Tarsus which the Apostle bypasses on his return to Derbe.

LUKE, as the Apostle’s physician, witnesses a major part of Paul’s second missionary journey of about 2800 miles first hand in ACTS 15:36-18:22.

And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Acts 15:41 – Paul ministering to the churches nearest to Jerusalem
- 16 Now Paul also arrived at Derbe
- and at Lystra. And behold, a disciple was there, named Timothy..
- .. he was well spoken of by the brothers who were in Lystra and Iconium.
So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were abounding in number daily.
Acts of the Apostles 16:5 LSB

6 And they passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region.. (which includes Antioch Pisidia of Paul’s first missionary journey)..

Through these cities and towns PAUL sojourns purposefully with the Gospel and ENCOURAGEMENT of the churches, some (in GALATIA) to whom the Apostle has written first.

SAILING toward Macedonia, Greece and Achaia

Paul arrives in Europe

First stop

–The leading ROMAN city of Macedonia, PHILIPPI, is by no means Jewish.

(It doesn’t even have a synagogue.)

The Gospel wins some to Christ and opposition from others.

Paul will encourage the Philippians in an epistle a few years later.

Second major stop

Thessalonica

Then Paul and apostles sent with him travel through Amphipolis and Apollonia to THESSILONICA AND proclaim the Gospel to the Jews in their synagogue for THREE WEEKS.

Paul had preached:

“This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is that Christ.”
And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,
along with a great multitude of the God-fearing Greeks and not a few of the leading women.
Acts of the Apostles 17:3b-4 LSB

They are forced to slip out of town quickly, but this letter will be penned by Paul to encourage the church in his absence.

10 And the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Read full chapter ACTS 17

Later Luke records:

¹³But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, shaking up and disturbing the crowds.

Other NEWS ~ A.D. 50

Why write to the Thessalonians?

All of these challenges to Christ occur in times and places when the Jews are not the only opponents of the Church. And recall how easily the pagans are lured into bad behavior in behalf of their own sinful practices.
- ~ 5 years ago the Romans changed to a 365 day calendar with a ‘leap year’ and ignored an unnamed year from an inaccurate calendar of the past.
- A.D. 49 the Caesar Claudius had expelled the Jews from Rome
I was so glad to hear about you

When we are away from those we love we lose touch until we return or when someone sends a message about them to us.

Out of necessity Paul had to leave the Thessalonians after just three weeks. Of course these apostles had much more to say, hear and teach.

Paul writes:

.. and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith..

.. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always remember us kindly, longing to see us just as we also long to see you..
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians 3:2,6 LSB

The Apostle does NOT write these Epistles to the Galatians, Thessalonians and other churches they have established on a whim.

NEXT

We will take a closer look at Paul’s purpose in writing a letter to their dear brothers back in Thessalonica.

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February 3, 2024