⁹ Now about your love for one another^(A) we do not need to write to you,^(B) for you yourselves have been taught by God^(C) to love each other.^{(D) 10} And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.^(E) Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,^{(F) 11} and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,^(G) just as we told you, ¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders^(H) 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^(I) about those who sleep in death,^(J) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.^{(K) 14} For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,^(L) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.^{(M) 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,^(N) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(O) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(P) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(Q) and with the trumpet call of God,^(R) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(S) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(T) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(U) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(V) forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another^(W) with these words.

²⁶ “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as lightning^(A) that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming^(B) of the Son of Man.^{(C) 28} Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.^(D)

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress of those days

³⁰ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth^[b] will mourn^(F) when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven,^(G) with power and great glory.^{[c] 31} And he will send his angels^(H) with a loud trumpet call,^(I) and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

³² “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ³³ Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it^[d] is near, right at the door.^{(J) 34} Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.^{(K) 35} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(L)