Living to Please God

4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,^(A) we instructed you how to live^(B) in order to please God,^(C) as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. ² For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

³ It is God’s will^(D) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;^{(E) 4} that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a](F) in a way that is holy and honorable, ⁵ not in passionate lust^(G) like the pagans,^(H) who do not know God;^{(I) 6} and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.^[b](J) The Lord will punish^(K) all those who commit such sins,^(L) as we told you and warned you before. ⁷ For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.^{(M) 8} Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.^(N)

⁹ Now about your love for one another^(O) we do not need to write to you,^(P) for you yourselves have been taught by God^(Q) to love each other.^{(R) 10} And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.^(S) Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,^{(T) 11} and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,^(U) just as we told you, ¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders^(V) and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Believers Who Have Died

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed^(W) about those who sleep in death,^(X) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.^{(Y) 14} For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,^(Z) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.^{(AA) 15} According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,^(AB) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(AC) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(AD) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(AE) and with the trumpet call of God,^(AF) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(AG) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(AH) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(AI) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(AJ) forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another^(AK) with these words.

The Day of the Lord

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates^(AL) we do not need to write to you,^{(AM) 2} for you know very well that the day of the Lord^(AN) will come like a thief in the night.^{(AO) 3} While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”^(AP) destruction will come on them suddenly,^(AQ) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.^(AR)

⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness^(AS) so that this day should surprise you like a thief.^{(AT) 5} You are all children of the light^(AU) and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶ So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep,^(AV) but let us be awake^(AW) and sober.^{(AX) 7} For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.^{(AY) 8} But since we belong to the day,^(AZ) let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate,^(BA) and the hope of salvation^(BB) as a helmet.^{(BC) 9} For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath^(BD) but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(BE) 10} He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.^{(BF) 11} Therefore encourage one another^(BG) and build each other up,^(BH) just as in fact you are doing.

Final Instructions

¹² Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard^(BI) among you, who care for you in the Lord^(BJ) and who admonish you. ¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.^{(BK) 14} And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle^(BL) and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak,^(BM) be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,^(BN) but always strive to do what is good for each other^(BO) and for everyone else.

¹⁶ Rejoice always,^{(BP) 17} pray continually,^{(BQ) 18} give thanks in all circumstances;^(BR) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit.^{(BS) 20} Do not treat prophecies^(BT) with contempt ²¹ but test them all;^(BU) hold on to what is good,^{(BV) 22} reject every kind of evil.

²³ May God himself, the God of peace,^(BW) sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul^(BX) and body be kept blameless^(BY) at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(BZ) 24} The one who calls^(CA) you is faithful,^(CB) and he will do it.^(CC)

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us.^{(CD) 26} Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.^{(CE) 27} I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.^(CF)

²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.^(CG)

1 Paul, Silas^[a](A) and Timothy,^(B)

To the church of the Thessalonians^(C) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

² Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(D)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We ought always to thank God for you,^(E) brothers and sisters,^[b] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.^{(F) 4} Therefore, among God’s churches we boast^(G) about your perseverance and faith^(H) in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.^(I)

⁵ All this is evidence^(J) that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy^(K) of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. ⁶ God is just:^(L) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you^{(M) 7} and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven^(N) in blazing fire^(O) with his powerful angels.^{(P) 8} He will punish^(Q) those who do not know God^(R) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.^{(S) 9} They will be punished with everlasting destruction^(T) and shut out from the presence of the Lord^(U) and from the glory of his might^{(V) 10} on the day^(W) he comes to be glorified^(X) in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.^(Y)

¹¹ With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,^(Z) that our God may make you worthy^(AA) of his calling,^(AB) and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness^(AC) and your every deed prompted by faith.^{(AD) 12} We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,^(AE) and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.^[c]

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ^(AF) and our being gathered to him,^(AG) we ask you, brothers and sisters, ² not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter^(AH)—asserting that the day of the Lord^(AI) has already come.^{(AJ) 3} Don’t let anyone deceive you^(AK) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion^(AL) occurs and the man of lawlessness^[d] is revealed,^(AM) the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God^(AN) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.^(AO)

⁵ Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?^{(AP) 6} And now you know what is holding him back,^(AQ) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back^(AR) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed,^(AS) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth^(AT) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.^{(AU) 9} The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan^(AV) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders^(AW) that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(AX) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(AY) 11} For this reason God sends them^(AZ) a powerful delusion^(BA) so that they will believe the lie^{(BB) 12} and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.^(BC)

Stand Firm

¹³ But we ought always to thank God for you,^(BD) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits^[e](BE) to be saved^(BF) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit^(BG) and through belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you^(BH) to this through our gospel,^(BI) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm^(BJ) and hold fast to the teachings^[f] we passed on to you,^(BK) whether by word of mouth or by letter.

¹⁶ May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,^(BL) who loved us^(BM) and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, ¹⁷ encourage^(BN) your hearts and strengthen^(BO) you in every good deed and word.

Request for Prayer

3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,^(BP) pray for us^(BQ) that the message of the Lord^(BR) may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.^{(BS) 2} And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,^(BT) for not everyone has faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful,^(BU) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.^{(BV) 4} We have confidence^(BW) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts^(BX) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Warning Against Idleness

⁶ In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,^(BY) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from^(BZ) every believer who is idle and disruptive^(CA) and does not live according to the teaching^[g] you received from us.^{(CB) 7} For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.^(CC) We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked^(CD) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,^(CE) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.^{(CF) 10} For even when we were with you,^(CG) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work^(CH) shall not eat.”

¹¹ We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.^{(CI) 12} Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ^(CJ) to settle down and earn the food they eat.^{(CK) 13} And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.^(CL)

¹⁴ Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them,^(CM) in order that they may feel ashamed.^{(CN) 15} Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.^(CO)

Final Greetings

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace^(CP) himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.^(CQ)

¹⁷ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand,^(CR) which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.

¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.^(CS)