Believers Who Have Died

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed^(A) about those who sleep in death,^(B) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.^{(C) 14} For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,^(D) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.^{(E) 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,^(F) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(G) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(H) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(I) and with the trumpet call of God,^(J) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(K) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(L) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(M) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(N) forever.

⁶ God is just:^(A) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you^{(B) 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^(C) in blazing fire^(D) with his powerful angels.^{(E) 8} He will punish^(F) those who do not know God^(G) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.^{(H) 9} They will be punished with everlasting destruction^(I) and shut out from the presence of the Lord^(J) and from the glory of his might^{(K) 10} on the day^(L) he comes to be glorified^(M) 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.^(N)