1 Thessalonians 4
New American Standard Bible
Sanctification and Love
4 (A)Finally then, (B)brothers and sisters, we request and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us as to how you ought to [a](C)walk and (D)please God (just as you actually do [b]walk), that you (E)excel even more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you [c]by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you (F)abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that (G)each of you know how to [d]possess his own [e](H)vessel in sanctification and (I)honor, 5 not in [f](J)lustful passion, like the Gentiles who (K)do not know God; 6 and that no one violate the rights and (L)take advantage of his brother or sister (M)in the matter, because (N)the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also (O)told you previously and solemnly warned you. 7 For (P)God has not called us for [g](Q)impurity, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who (R)gives His Holy Spirit to you.
9 Now as to the (S)love of the brothers and sisters, you (T)have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are (U)taught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed (V)you practice it toward all the brothers and sisters who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to (W)excel even more, 11 and to make it your ambition (X)to lead a quiet life and (Y)attend to your own business and (Z)work with your hands, just as we instructed you, 12 so that you will [h](AA)behave properly toward (AB)outsiders and [i](AC)not be in any need.
Those Who Died in Christ
13 But (AD)we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who [j](AE)are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed (AF)the rest of mankind do, who have (AG)no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, (AH)so also God will bring with Him (AI)those who have fallen asleep [k]through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you (AJ)by the word of the Lord, that (AK)we who are alive [l]and remain until (AL)the coming of the Lord will not precede (AM)those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord (AN)Himself (AO)will descend from heaven with a [m](AP)shout, with the voice of (AQ)the archangel and with the (AR)trumpet of God, and (AS)the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then (AT)we who are alive, who remain, will be (AU)caught up together with them (AV)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always (AW)be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, [n]comfort one another with these words.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Or conduct yourselves
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Or conduct yourselves
- 1 Thessalonians 4:2 Lit through the Lord
- 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or acquire
- 1 Thessalonians 4:4 I.e., body; or wife
- 1 Thessalonians 4:5 Lit passion of lust
- 1 Thessalonians 4:7 I.e., moral corruption
- 1 Thessalonians 4:12 Lit walk
- 1 Thessalonians 4:12 Lit have need of nothing
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13 I.e., have died
- 1 Thessalonians 4:14 I.e., as believers
- 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Lit who
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Or cry of command
- 1 Thessalonians 4:18 Or encourage
1 Thessalonians 4
International Standard Version
Instructions on the Way Christians Should Live
4 Now then, brothers, you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, as in fact you are doing. We ask and encourage you in the Lord to do so even more. 2 You know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For it is God’s will that you be sanctified: You must abstain from sexual immorality. 4 Each of you must know how to control his own body[a] in a holy and honorable manner, 5 not with passion and lust like the gentiles who do not know God. 6 Furthermore, you must never take advantage of or exploit a brother in this regard, because the Lord avenges all these things, just as we already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to be holy. 8 Therefore, whoever rejects this instruction[b] is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 Now you do not need anyone to write to you about brotherly love, since you have been taught by God to love each other. 10 In fact, you are showing love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia, but we urge you, brothers, to keep on doing this even more. 11 Also, make it your goal to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may win the respect of outsiders, and have need of nothing.
Comfort about Christians who Have Died
13 But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve like other people who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus God will bring those who have died with him. 15 For we declare to you what the Lord has told us to say:[c] We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have died. 16 With a shout of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of God’s trumpet, the Lord himself will come down from heaven, and the dead who belong to the Messiah[d] will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain 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. 18 So then, encourage one another with these words.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Lit. vessel
- 1 Thessalonians 4:8 The Gk. lacks instruction
- 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Lit. you by the word of the Lord:
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Or Christ
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