Add parallel Print Page Options

For the rest, then, brethren, we beg you and exhort you in [the] Lord Jesus, even as ye have received from us how ye ought to walk and please God, even as ye also do walk, that ye would abound still more.

For ye know what charges we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

For this is [the] will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication;

that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honour,

(not in passionate desire, even as the nations who know not God,)

not overstepping the rights of and wronging his brother in the matter, because the Lord [is] the avenger of all these things, even as we also told you before, and have fully testified.

For God has not called us to uncleanness, but in sanctification.

He therefore that [in this] disregards [his brother], disregards, not man, but God, who has given also his Holy Spirit to you.

Now concerning brotherly love ye have no need that we should write to you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

10 For also ye do this towards all the brethren in the whole of Macedonia; but we exhort you, brethren, to abound still more,

11 and to seek earnestly to be quiet and mind your own affairs, and work with your [own] hands, even as we charged you,

12 that ye may walk reputably towards those without, and may have need of no one.

13 But we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are fallen asleep, to the end that ye be not grieved even as also the rest who have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus has died and has risen again, so also God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

15 (For this we say to you in [the] word of [the] Lord, that *we*, the living, who remain to the coming of the Lord, are in no way to anticipate those who have fallen asleep;

16 for the Lord himself, with an assembling shout, with archangel's voice and with trump of God, shall descend from heaven; and the dead in Christ shall rise first;

17 then *we*, the living who remain, shall be caught up together with them in [the] clouds, to meet the Lord in [the] air; and thus we shall be always with [the] Lord.

18 So encourage one another with 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.

The Call to Sanctification

Additionally then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received instruction from us on how you should live and please God—as you are doing[a]—do this even more. For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

For this is God’s will,(A) your sanctification:(B) that you keep away(C) from sexual immorality, that each of you knows how to control his own body[b] in holiness and honor, not with lustful passions,(D) like the Gentiles, who don’t know God. This means one must not transgress against and take advantage(E) of a brother or sister in this manner, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you. For God has not called us to impurity(F) but to live in holiness. Consequently, anyone who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.(G)

Loving and Working

About brotherly love: You don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God(H) to love one another.(I) 10 In fact, you are doing this toward all the brothers and sisters in the entire region of Macedonia.(J) But we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do this even more, 11 to seek to lead a quiet life,(K) to mind your own business,[c] and to work(L) with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 so that you may behave properly(M) in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.[d](N)

The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.(O) 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose(P) again,(Q) in the same way, through Jesus,(R) God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For we say this to you by a word from the Lord:(S) We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming(T) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.(U) 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout,[e](V) with the archangel’s(W) voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ(X) will rise first. 17 Then(Y) we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds(Z) to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage[f] one another with these words.

Footnotes

  1. 4:1 Lit walking
  2. 4:4 Or to acquire his own wife; lit to possess his own vessel
  3. 4:11 Lit to practice one’s own things
  4. 4:12 Or not need anything, or not be in need
  5. 4:16 Or command
  6. 4:18 Or comfort