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1 Thessalonians 4-5
English Standard Version
1 Thessalonians 4-5
English Standard Version
A Life Pleasing to God
4 Finally, then, brothers,[a] we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you (A)received from us (B)how you ought to walk and (C)to please God, just as you are doing, that you (D)do so more and more. 2 For (E)you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, (F)your sanctification:[b] (G)that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own (H)body[c] in holiness and (I)honor, 5 not in (J)the passion of lust (K)like the Gentiles (L)who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and (M)wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is (N)an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For (O)God has not called us for (P)impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore (Q)whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, (R)who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9 Now concerning (S)brotherly love (T)you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been (U)taught by God (V)to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what (W)you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to (X)do this more and more, 11 and to aspire (Y)to live quietly, and (Z)to mind your own affairs, and (AA)to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may (AB)walk properly before (AC)outsiders and be dependent on no one.
The Coming of the Lord
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, (AD)that you may not grieve as others do (AE)who have no hope. 14 For (AF)since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him (AG)those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you (AH)by a word from the Lord,[d] that (AI)we who are alive, who are left until (AJ)the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For (AK)the Lord himself will descend (AL)from heaven (AM)with a cry of command, with the voice of (AN)an archangel, and (AO)with the sound of the trumpet of God. And (AP)the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be (AQ)caught up together with them (AR)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so (AS)we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
The Day of the Lord
5 Now concerning (AT)the times and the seasons, brothers,[e] (AU)you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that (AV)the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then (AW)sudden destruction will come upon them (AX)as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you (AY)are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all (AZ)children[f] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then (BA)let us not sleep, as others do, but let us (BB)keep awake and (BC)be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, (BD)are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, (BE)having put on the breastplate of (BF)faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for (BG)wrath, but (BH)to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 (BI)who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Final Instructions and Benediction
12 We ask you, brothers, (BJ)to respect those who labor among you and (BK)are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. (BL)Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish (BM)the idle,[g] (BN)encourage the fainthearted, (BO)help the weak, (BP)be patient with them all. 15 See that (BQ)no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always (BR)seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 (BS)Rejoice always, 17 (BT)pray without ceasing, 18 (BU)give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 (BV)Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise (BW)prophecies, 21 but (BX)test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may (BY)the God of peace himself (BZ)sanctify you completely, and may your (CA)whole (CB)spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at (CC)the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 (CD)He who calls you is faithful; (CE)he will surely do it.
25 (CF)Brothers, pray for us.
26 (CG)Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have (CH)this letter read to all the brothers.
28 (CI)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 10, 13
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3 Or your holiness
- 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or how to take a wife for himself; Greek how to possess his own vessel
- 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Or by the word of the Lord
- 1 Thessalonians 5:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 4, 12, 14, 25, 26, 27
- 1 Thessalonians 5:5 Or sons; twice in this verse
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Or disorderly, or undisciplined
1 Thessalonians 4-5
New International Version
1 Thessalonians 4-5
New International Version
Living to Please God
4 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. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 It is God’s will(D) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;(E) 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a](F) in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust(G) like the pagans,(H) who do not know God;(I) 6 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. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.(M) 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.(N)
9 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.
The Day of the Lord
5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates(AL) we do not need to write to you,(AM) 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord(AN) will come like a thief in the night.(AO) 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”(AP) destruction will come on them suddenly,(AQ) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.(AR)
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness(AS) so that this day should surprise you like a thief.(AT) 5 You are all children of the light(AU) and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep,(AV) but let us be awake(AW) and sober.(AX) 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.(AY) 8 But since we belong to the day,(AZ) let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate,(BA) and the hope of salvation(BB) as a helmet.(BC) 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath(BD) but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.(BE) 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.(BF) 11 Therefore encourage one another(BG) and build each other up,(BH) just as in fact you are doing.
Final Instructions
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard(BI) among you, who care for you in the Lord(BJ) and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.(BK) 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle(BL) and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak,(BM) be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,(BN) but always strive to do what is good for each other(BO) and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always,(BP) 17 pray continually,(BQ) 18 give thanks in all circumstances;(BR) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.(BS) 20 Do not treat prophecies(BT) with contempt 21 but test them all;(BU) hold on to what is good,(BV) 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace,(BW) sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul(BX) and body be kept blameless(BY) at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.(BZ) 24 The one who calls(CA) you is faithful,(CB) and he will do it.(CC)
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.(CD) 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.(CE) 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.(CF)
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.(CG)
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.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.