text: Oldest surviving manuscripts The original manuscript of this letter is lost, as are over a century of copies. The text of the surviving manuscripts varies. The oldest surviving manuscripts that contain some or all of this book include:
  Papyrus 46 (c. AD 200)
  Papyrus 65 (3rd century)
  Codex Vaticanus (325–350)
  Codex Sinaiticus (330–360)
  Codex Alexandrinus (400–440)
  Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (c. 450)
  Codex Freerianus (c. 450)
  Codex Claromontanus (c. 550)
  Composition
  Date
  It is widely agreed that 1 Thessalonians is one of the first books of the New Testament to be written, and the earliest extant Christian text. A majority of modern New Testament scholars date 1 Thessalonians to 49–51 AD, during Paul's 18-month stay in Corinth coinciding with his second missionary journey. A minority of scholars who do not recognize the historicity of Acts date it in the early 40s AD. The Delphi Inscription dates Gallio's proconsulship of Achaia to 51-52 AD, and Acts 18:12-17 mentions Gallio, toward the end of Paul's stay in Corinth.
  1 Thessalonians does not focus on justification by faith or questions of Jewish–Gentile relations, themes that are covered in all other letters. Because of this, some scholars see this as an indication that this letter was written before the Epistle to the Galatians, where Paul's positions on these matters were formed and elucidated.