John Chrysostom, on 1Thess 1:2

“Grace be to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for you all; making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing,”

“"Grace be unto you, and peace." Do you perceive that the very commencement of his Epistle is with encomiums? "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers." For to give thanks to God for them is the act of one testifying to their great advancement, when they are not only praised themselves, but God also is thanked for them, as Himself having done it all. He teaches them also to be moderate, all but saying, that it is all of the power of God. That he gives thanks for them, therefore, is on account of their good conduct, but that he remembers them in his prayers, proceeds from his love towards them.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.