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Therefore, brethren, from henceforward we pray you, and beseech in the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us, how it behooveth you to go and to please God, so walk ye, that ye abound more.

For ye know what commandments I have given to you by the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God, your holiness, that ye abstain you from fornication.

That each of you know how to wield his vessel in holiness, and honour;

not in passion of lust, as heathen men that know not God.

And that no man over-go, neither deceive his brother, in chaffering. For the Lord is venger of all these things, as we before-said to you, and have witnessed.

For God called not us into uncleanness, but into holiness.

Therefore he that despiseth these things, despiseth not man, but God, that also gave his Holy Spirit in us.

But of the charity of brotherhood we had no need to write to you; ye yourselves have learned of God, that ye love together;

10 [and] for ye do that into all brethren in all Macedonia. And, brethren, we pray you, that ye abound more;

11 and take keep, that ye be quiet; and that ye do your need [and give work, or busyness, that ye be quiet, and do your need], and that ye work with your [own] hands, as we have commanded to you;

12 and that ye wander honestly to them that be withoutforth, and that of no man ye desire any thing [and that of no man's ye desire any thing].

13 For, brethren, we will not, that ye not know of men that die [Forsooth, brethren, we will not you to unknow of men sleeping, or dying], that ye be not sorrowful, as [and] others that have not hope.

14 For if we believe, that Jesus was dead, and rose again, so God shall lead with him them that be dead by Jesus [so and God shall lead with him them that slept, or died, by Jesus].

15 And we say this thing to you in the word of the Lord, that we that live, that be left in the coming of the Lord, shall not come before them that be dead. [Soothly this thing we say to you in the word of the Lord, that we that live, that be residue, or left, in the coming of the Lord, shall not come before them that slept, or died.]

16 For the Lord himself shall come down from heaven, in the commandment, and in the voice of an archangel [in the commanding, and in the voice of the archangel], and in the trump of God; and the dead men that be in Christ, shall rise again first.

17 Afterward we that live, that be left, shall be snatched (up) together with them in clouds, meeting Christ in the air; and so evermore we shall be with the Lord.

18 Therefore be ye comforted together in these words. [Therefore comfort ye together in these words.]

Living to Please God

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. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

It is God’s will(D) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;(E) that each of you should learn to control your own body[a](F) in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust(G) like the pagans,(H) who do not know God;(I) 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. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.(M) Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.(N)

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.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or learn to live with your own wife; or learn to acquire a wife
  2. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.