1 Thessalonians 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Call to Sanctification
4 Finally then, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you must walk and please God—as you are doing[a]—do so even more. 2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is God’s will,(A) your sanctification:(B) that you abstain(C) from sexual immorality, 4 so that each of you knows how to control his own body[b] in sanctification and honor, 5 not with lustful desires,(D) like the Gentiles who don’t know God. 6 This means one must not transgress against and defraud(E) his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses,[c] as we also previously told and warned you. 7 For God has not called us to impurity(F) but to sanctification. 8 Therefore, the person who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who also gives you His Holy Spirit.(G)
Loving and Working
9 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 in the entire region of Macedonia.(J) But we encourage you, brothers, to do so even more, 11 to seek to lead a quiet life,(K) to mind your own business,[d] and to work(L) with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 so that you may walk properly[e](M) in the presence of outsiders[f] and not be dependent on anyone.[g](N)
The Comfort of Christ’s Coming
13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.(O) 14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose(P) again,(Q) in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through[h] Jesus.(R) 15 For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord:[i](S) We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming(T) will certainly have no advantage over[j] those who have fallen asleep.(U) 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,[k](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 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[l] one another with these words.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Lit walking
- 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or to acquire his own wife; lit to possess his own vessel
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6 Lit things
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Lit to practice one’s own things
- 1 Thessalonians 4:12 Or may live respectably
- 1 Thessalonians 4:12 Non-Christians
- 1 Thessalonians 4:12 Or not need anything, or not be in need
- 1 Thessalonians 4:14 Or in
- 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Or a word of the Lord
- 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Or certainly not precede
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Or command
- 1 Thessalonians 4:18 Or comfort
1 Thessalonians 4
New King James Version
Plea for Purity
4 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus (A)that you should abound more and more, (B)just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is (C)the will of God, (D)your sanctification: (E)that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 (F)that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 (G)not in passion of lust, (H)like the Gentiles (I)who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord (J)is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, (K)but in holiness. 8 (L)Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, (M)who[a] has also given us His Holy Spirit.
A Brotherly and Orderly Life
9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for (N)you yourselves are taught by God (O)to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, (P)that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, (Q)to mind your own business, and (R)to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 (S)that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
The Comfort of Christ’s Coming
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen [b]asleep, lest you sorrow (T)as others (U)who have no hope. 14 For (V)if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him (W)those who [c]sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you (X)by the word of the Lord, that (Y)we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are [d]asleep. 16 For (Z)the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with (AA)the trumpet of God. (AB)And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 (AC)Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (AD)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus (AE)we shall always be with the Lord. 18 (AF)Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 4:8 NU who also gives
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13 Died
- 1 Thessalonians 4:14 Or through Jesus sleep
- 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Dead
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
