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1 Thessalonians 3-4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 Thessalonians 3-4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens(A) 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker[a] in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the sake of your faith,(B) 3 so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions. Indeed, you yourselves know that this is what we are destined for.(C) 4 In fact, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor had been in vain.(D)
Timothy’s Encouraging Report
6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought us the good news of your faith and love. He has told us also that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, just as we long to see you.(E) 7 For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. 8 For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.(F)
11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.(G) 13 And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.[b](H)
A Life Pleasing to God
4 Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more.(I) 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;(J) 4 that each one of you know how to control your own body[c] in holiness and honor, 5 not with lustful passion, like the gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one wrong or exploit a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.(K) 7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9 Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,(L) 10 and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you,(M) 12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and be dependent on no one.(N)
The Coming of the Lord
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died,[d] so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.[e](O) 15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died.[f] 16 For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.(P) 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever.(Q) 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 3-4
New International Version
1 Thessalonians 3-4
New International Version
3 So when we could stand it no longer,(A) we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.(B) 2 We sent Timothy,(C) who is our brother and co-worker(D) in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ,(E) to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.(F) For you know quite well that we are destined for them.(G) 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.(H) 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer,(I) I sent to find out about your faith.(J) I was afraid that in some way the tempter(K) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.(L)
Timothy’s Encouraging Report
6 But Timothy(M) has just now come to us from you(N) and has brought good news about your faith and love.(O) He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.(P) 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm(Q) in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you(R) in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?(S) 10 Night and day we pray(T) most earnestly that we may see you again(U) and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father(V) himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other(W) and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless(X) and holy in the presence of our God and Father(Y) when our Lord Jesus comes(Z) with all his holy ones.(AA)
Living to Please God
4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,(AB) we instructed you how to live(AC) in order to please God,(AD) as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 It is God’s will(AE) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;(AF) 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a](AG) in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust(AH) like the pagans,(AI) who do not know God;(AJ) 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.[b](AK) The Lord will punish(AL) all those who commit such sins,(AM) as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.(AN) 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.(AO)
9 Now about your love for one another(AP) we do not need to write to you,(AQ) for you yourselves have been taught by God(AR) to love each other.(AS) 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.(AT) Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,(AU) 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,(AV) just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders(AW) 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(AX) about those who sleep in death,(AY) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.(AZ) 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,(BA) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.(BB) 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,(BC) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.(BD) 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,(BE) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel(BF) and with the trumpet call of God,(BG) and the dead in Christ will rise first.(BH) 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left(BI) will be caught up together with them in the clouds(BJ) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord(BK) forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another(BL) with these words.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or learn to live with your own wife; or learn to acquire a wife
- 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.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
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