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要讨 神喜悦

此外,弟兄们,我们在主耶稣里求你们,劝你们,你们既然接受了我们的教训,知道应该怎样行事为人,并且怎样讨 神喜悦,就要照你们现在所行的更进一步。 我们凭着主耶稣传给你们的是甚么命令,你们是知道的。  神的旨意是要你们圣洁,远避淫行; 要你们各人晓得怎样用圣洁尊贵的方法保守自己的身体(“身体”原文作“器皿”); 不要放纵邪情私欲,像那些不认识 神的外族人一样; 谁也不要在这事上越轨,占弟兄的便宜,因为这一类的事,主必报应。这是我们从前告诉过你们,又严严警戒过你们的。  神呼召我们,不是要我们沾染污秽,而是要我们圣洁。 所以那弃绝这命令的,不是弃绝人,而是弃绝把他自己的圣灵赐给你们的那位 神。

论到弟兄相爱,用不着人写甚么给你们,因为你们自己受了 神的教导,要彼此相爱。 10 其实,你们向全马其顿所有的弟兄,已经这样行了。但是,弟兄们,我们劝你们要更加彼此相爱; 11 又要立志过安静的生活,办自己的事,亲手作工,正如我们从前吩咐过你们, 12 使你们行事为人可以得到外人的尊敬,自己也不会有甚么缺乏了。

在主里睡了的人必先复活

13 弟兄们,论到睡了的人,我们不愿意你们不知道,免得你们忧伤,像那些没有盼望的人一样。 14 我们若信耶稣死了,又复活了,照样,也应该相信那些靠着耶稣已经睡了的人, 神必定把他们和耶稣一同带来。

15 我们现在照着主的话告诉你们:我们这些活着存留到主再来的人,绝不能在那些睡了的人以先。 16 因为主必亲自从天降临,那时,有发令的声音,有天使长的呼声,还有 神的号声,那些在基督里死了的人必先复活; 17 然后,我们还活着存留的人,必和他们一同被提到云里,在空中与主相会。这样,我们就要和主常常同在。 18 所以,你们应该用这些话彼此劝慰。

令上帝满意的生活

兄弟们,现在我要告诉你们另外一些事。你们做为主耶稣的信徒,我们请求和督促过你们并教导过你们如何生活会令上帝喜悦,(你们也的确在这样做),现在我们请求你们再接再励。 你们知道,我们是通过主耶稣的权威给你们下达指示的。 这是上帝的意愿,他要你们圣洁,摆脱不道德的性行为。 他要你们每一个人都学会用圣洁和荣誉的方式来支配自己的身体, 而不要像不知道上帝的异教徒那样,放纵情欲。 他还希望你们所有的人,在这方面不要做对不起或欺骗兄弟的事情。正像我们警告过你们的那样,上帝将惩罚犯这种罪的人。 因为上帝召唤我们不是要我们生活在罪孽之中,而是要我们圣洁。 所以,抵制这些教导的人,不是在抵制人而是在抵制赋予你们圣灵的上帝。

关于兄弟间的爱,不需要我们向你们写什么,因为上帝已经教导你们要彼此相爱。 10 实际上,你们在全马其顿地区的确是在这样对待兄弟的,但我们督促你们要再接再励。

11 把过和平安宁的生活看作是一种荣誉,要像我们吩咐你们的那样,关心自己份内的工作,用自己的双手工作。 12 这样,非信徒会尊重你们的生活方式,而且,你们也不用依赖他人给你们提供所需的东西。

主即将来临

13 兄弟们,我们希望你们了解那些死者的情况,免得你们像其余没有盼望的人一样悲伤和失望。 14 既然我们相信耶稣死后又复活了,那么,我们也相信上帝将会使那些信仰过耶稣的死者与他一起复活。 15 我们现在告诉你们来自主的信息,当主再来时,我们这些活着的人绝对不会比那些死者先与主同在。 16 当响亮的命令伴随着大天使的声音和上帝的号角发出时,主将亲自从天而降。那些信仰过主的死者将会首先复活, 17 然后我们这些活着的人才会与他一起被升到云端,在空中与主相会。从此我们将与主永远同在。 18 用这些话互相鼓励吧。

The Call to Sanctification

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. For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

For this is God’s will,(A) your sanctification:(B) that you abstain(C) from sexual immorality, so that each of you knows how to control his own body[b] in sanctification and honor, not with lustful desires,(D) like the Gentiles who don’t know God. 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. For God has not called us to impurity(F) but to sanctification. Therefore, the person who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who also 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 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. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Lit walking
  2. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or to acquire his own wife; lit to possess his own vessel
  3. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 Lit things
  4. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Lit to practice one’s own things
  5. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 Or may live respectably
  6. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 Non-Christians
  7. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 Or not need anything, or not be in need
  8. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 Or in
  9. 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Or a word of the Lord
  10. 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Or certainly not precede
  11. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Or command
  12. 1 Thessalonians 4:18 Or comfort

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.

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

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

That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.