³ It is God’s will^(A) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;^{(B) 4} that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a](C) in a way that is holy and honorable, ⁵ not in passionate lust^(D) like the pagans,^(E) who do not know God;^{(F) 6} and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.^[b](G) The Lord will punish^(H) all those who commit such sins,^(I) as we told you and warned you before. ⁷ For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.^{(J) 8} Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.^(K)

⁹ Now about your love for one another^(L) we do not need to write to you,^(M) for you yourselves have been taught by God^(N) to love each other.^{(O) 10} And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.^(P) Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,^{(Q) 11} and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,^(R) just as we told you, ¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders^(S) 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^(T) about those who sleep in death,^(U) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.^{(V) 14} For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,^(W) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.^{(X) 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,^(Y) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(Z) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(AA) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(AB) and with the trumpet call of God,^(AC) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(AD) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(AE) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(AF) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(AG) forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another^(AH) with these words.

The Day of the Lord

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates^(AI) we do not need to write to you,^{(AJ) 2} for you know very well that the day of the Lord^(AK) will come like a thief in the night.^{(AL) 3} While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”^(AM) destruction will come on them suddenly,^(AN) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.^(AO)

⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness^(AP) so that this day should surprise you like a thief.^{(AQ) 5} You are all children of the light^(AR) 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,^(AS) but let us be awake^(AT) and sober.^{(AU) 7} For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.^{(AV) 8} But since we belong to the day,^(AW) let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate,^(AX) and the hope of salvation^(AY) as a helmet.^{(AZ) 9} For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath^(BA) but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(BB) 10} He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.^{(BC) 11} Therefore encourage one another^(BD) and build each other up,^(BE) just as in fact you are doing.

Final Instructions

¹² Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard^(BF) among you, who care for you in the Lord^(BG) and who admonish you. ¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.^{(BH) 14} And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle^(BI) and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak,^(BJ) be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,^(BK) but always strive to do what is good for each other^(BL) and for everyone else.

¹⁶ Rejoice always,^{(BM) 17} pray continually,^{(BN) 18} give thanks in all circumstances;^(BO) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit.^{(BP) 20} Do not treat prophecies^(BQ) with contempt ²¹ but test them all;^(BR) hold on to what is good,^{(BS) 22} reject every kind of evil.

²³ May God himself, the God of peace,^(BT) sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul^(BU) and body be kept blameless^(BV) at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(BW) 24} The one who calls^(BX) you is faithful,^(BY) and he will do it.^(BZ)

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us.^{(CA) 26} Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.^{(CB) 27} I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.^(CC)

²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.^(CD)

1 Paul, Silas^[c](CE) and Timothy,^(CF)

To the church of the Thessalonians^(CG) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

² Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(CH)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We ought always to thank God for you,^(CI) brothers and sisters,^[d] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.^{(CJ) 4} Therefore, among God’s churches we boast^(CK) about your perseverance and faith^(CL) in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.^(CM)

⁵ All this is evidence^(CN) that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy^(CO) of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. ⁶ God is just:^(CP) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you^{(CQ) 7} and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven^(CR) in blazing fire^(CS) with his powerful angels.^{(CT) 8} He will punish^(CU) those who do not know God^(CV) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.^{(CW) 9} They will be punished with everlasting destruction^(CX) and shut out from the presence of the Lord^(CY) and from the glory of his might^{(CZ) 10} on the day^(DA) he comes to be glorified^(DB) in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.^(DC)

¹¹ With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,^(DD) that our God may make you worthy^(DE) of his calling,^(DF) and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness^(DG) and your every deed prompted by faith.^{(DH) 12} We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,^(DI) and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.^[e]

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ^(DJ) and our being gathered to him,^(DK) we ask you, brothers and sisters, ² not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter^(DL)—asserting that the day of the Lord^(DM) has already come.^{(DN) 3} Don’t let anyone deceive you^(DO) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion^(DP) occurs and the man of lawlessness^[f] is revealed,^(DQ) the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God^(DR) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.^(DS)

⁵ Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?^{(DT) 6} And now you know what is holding him back,^(DU) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back^(DV) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed,^(DW) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth^(DX) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.^{(DY) 9} The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan^(DZ) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders^(EA) that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(EB) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(EC) 11} For this reason God sends them^(ED) a powerful delusion^(EE) so that they will believe the lie^(EF)