1 Thessalonians 4-5

English Standard Version

A Life Pleasing to God

4 Finally, then, brothers,^[a] we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you ^(A)received from us ^(B)how you ought to walk and ^(C)to please God, just as you are doing, that you ^(D)do so more and more. ² For ^(E)you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, ^(F)your sanctification:^{[b] (G)}that you abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each one of you know how to control his own ^(H)body^[c] in holiness and ^(I)honor, ⁵ not in ^(J)the passion of lust ^(K)like the Gentiles ^(L)who do not know God; ⁶ that no one transgress and ^(M)wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is ^(N)an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. ⁷ For ^(O)God has not called us for ^(P)impurity, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore ^(Q)whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, ^(R)who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

⁹ Now concerning ^(S)brotherly love ^(T)you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been ^(U)taught by God ^(V)to love one another, ¹⁰ for that indeed is what ^(W)you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to ^(X)do this more and more, ¹¹ and to aspire ^(Y)to live quietly, and ^(Z)to mind your own affairs, and ^(AA)to work with your hands, as we instructed you, ¹² so that you may ^(AB)walk properly before ^(AC)outsiders and be dependent on no one.

The Coming of the Lord

¹³ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, ^(AD)that you may not grieve as others do ^(AE)who have no hope. ¹⁴ For ^(AF)since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him ^(AG)those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁵ For this we declare to you ^(AH)by a word from the Lord,^[d] that ^(AI)we who are alive, who are left until ^(AJ)the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For ^(AK)the Lord himself will descend ^(AL)from heaven ^(AM)with a cry of command, with the voice of ^(AN)an archangel, and ^(AO)with the sound of the trumpet of God. And ^(AP)the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be ^(AQ)caught up together with them ^(AR)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so ^(AS)we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Day of the Lord

5 Now concerning ^(AT)the times and the seasons, brothers,^{[e] (AU)}you have no need to have anything written to you. ² For you yourselves are fully aware that ^(AV)the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then ^(AW)sudden destruction will come upon them ^(AX)as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you ^(AY)are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all ^(AZ)children^[f] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶ So then ^(BA)let us not sleep, as others do, but let us ^(BB)keep awake and ^(BC)be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, ^(BD)are drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, ^(BE)having put on the breastplate of ^(BF)faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for ^(BG)wrath, but ^(BH)to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^10 (BI)who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Final Instructions and Benediction

¹² We ask you, brothers, ^(BJ)to respect those who labor among you and ^(BK)are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. ^(BL)Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers, admonish ^(BM)the idle,^{[g] (BN)}encourage the fainthearted, ^(BO)help the weak, ^(BP)be patient with them all. ¹⁵ See that ^(BQ)no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always ^(BR)seek to do good to one another and to everyone. ^16 (BS)Rejoice always, ^17 (BT)pray without ceasing, ^18 (BU)give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ^19 (BV)Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise ^(BW)prophecies, ²¹ but ^(BX)test everything; hold fast what is good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil.

²³ Now may ^(BY)the God of peace himself ^(BZ)sanctify you completely, and may your ^(CA)whole ^(CB)spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at ^(CC)the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ^24 (CD)He who calls you is faithful; ^(CE)he will surely do it.

^25 (CF)Brothers, pray for us.

^26 (CG)Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

²⁷ I put you under oath before the Lord to have ^(CH)this letter read to all the brothers.

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