Pepper, although it has been a good number of years since I was in school one thing I do remember concerning translating from on language to another is that it is impossible to do a word-for-word translation that makes sense. For instance here is your favorite verse word-by-word in the order of the Greek:
1 Thessalonians 1:3
without ceasing 89
Remembering 3421
your <5216 >
3588
work 2041
of 3588
faith, 4102
and 2532
3588
labour 2873
of 3588
love, 26
and 2532
3588
patience 5281
of 3588
hope 1680
3588
Lord 2962
in 9999
our 2257
Jesus 2424
Christ, 5547
in the sight 1715
of 3588
God 2316
and 2532
Father; 3962
our 2257
(Interlinear Transliterated Bible. Copyright (c) 1994 by Biblesoft)
And here is how it appears in English translations:
1 Thessalonians 1:3
3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
KJV
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
NAS
1 Thessalonians 1:2
3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
(from New International Version)
Now back up to 1 Thessalonians 1:1
1 Thessalonians 1:1
Paul, 3972
and 2532
Silvanus, 4610
and 2532
Timotheus, 5095
unto the 3588
church 1577
of the Thessalonians 2331
which is 9999
in 1722
God 2316
the 9999
Father 3962
and 2532
in the 9999
Lord 2962
Jesus 2424
Christ: 5547
Grace 5485
be 9999
unto you, 5213
and 2532
peace, 1515
from <9999 >
God <9999 >
our <9999 >
Father, <9999 >
and <9999 >
the 9999
Lord <9999 >
Jesus <9999 >
Christ. <9999 >
(Interlinear Transliterated Bible. Copyright (c) 1994 by Biblesoft)
1 Thessalonians 1:1
1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
KJV
1 Thessalonians 1:1
1:1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
NAS
1 Thessalonians 1:1
1:1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace to you.
(from New International Version)
Do you see all the <9999>? That means those words are not in the original manuscript and were supplied by the translators. No translation from the original language to English is free of some intepretation.
As to messing with God's word have you checked out all the translation errors in the Authorized Kings James Version?
http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/kjverror.html
http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/kjverr2.html
And then there are the manuscripts used. The modern translations use the best manuscripts discovered since the KJV was translated and have revealed the addition of spurious texts found in the Textus Receptus.