Sanctification and Love

4 ^(A)Finally then, ^(B)brothers and sisters, we request and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us as to how you ought to ^[a](C)walk and ^(D)please God (just as you actually do ^[b]walk), that you ^(E)excel even more. ² For you know what instructions we gave you ^[c]by the authority of the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you ^(F)abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that ^(G)each of you know how to ^[d]possess his own ^[e](H)vessel in sanctification and ^(I)honor, ⁵ not in ^[f](J)lustful passion, like the Gentiles who ^(K)do not know God; ⁶ and that no one violate the rights and ^(L)take advantage of his brother or sister ^(M)in the matter, because ^(N)the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also ^(O)told you previously and solemnly warned you. ⁷ For ^(P)God has not called us for ^[g](Q)impurity, but in sanctification. ⁸ Therefore, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who ^(R)gives His Holy Spirit to you.

⁹ Now as to the ^(S)love of the brothers and sisters, you ^(T)have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are ^(U)taught by God to love one another; ¹⁰ for indeed ^(V)you practice it toward all the brothers and sisters who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to ^(W)excel even more, ¹¹ and to make it your ambition ^(X)to lead a quiet life and ^(Y)attend to your own business and ^(Z)work with your hands, just as we instructed you, ¹² so that you will ^[h](AA)behave properly toward ^(AB)outsiders and ^[i](AC)not be in any need.

Those Who Died in Christ

¹³ But ^(AD)we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who ^[j](AE)are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed ^(AF)the rest of mankind do, who have ^(AG)no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, ^(AH)so also God will bring with Him ^(AI)those who have fallen asleep ^[k]through Jesus. ¹⁵ For we say this to you ^(AJ)by the word of the Lord, that ^(AK)we who are alive ^[l]and remain until ^(AL)the coming of the Lord will not precede ^(AM)those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord ^(AN)Himself ^(AO)will descend from heaven with a ^[m](AP)shout, with the voice of ^(AQ)the archangel and with the ^(AR)trumpet of God, and ^(AS)the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then ^(AT)we who are alive, who remain, will be ^(AU)caught up together with them ^(AV)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always ^(AW)be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore, ^[n]comfort one another with these words.

A New Heaven and Earth

¹⁰ But ^(A)the day of the Lord ^(B)will come like a thief, in which ^(C)the heavens ^(D)will pass away with a roar and the ^(E)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and ^(F)the earth and ^[a]its works will be ^[b]discovered.

¹¹ Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ^12 (G)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which ^(H)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the ^(I)elements will melt with intense heat! ¹³ But according to His ^(J)promise we are looking for ^(K)new heavens and a new earth, ^(L)in which righteousness dwells.

The New Heaven and Earth

21 Then I saw ^(A)a new heaven and a new earth; for ^(B)the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. ² And I saw ^(C)the holy city, ^(D)new Jerusalem, ^(E)coming down out of heaven from God, ^(F)prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, ^(G)the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will ^(H)dwell among them, and they shall be His ^[a]people, and God Himself will be among them^[b], ⁴ and He will ^(I)wipe away every tear from their eyes; and ^(J)there will no longer be any death; ^(K)there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; ^(L)the first things have passed away.”