1 Thessalonians 4

Revised Geneva Translation

4 Furthermore, we urge and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, brothers, that you increase more and more in how you ought to walk and to please God (as you have received from us).

² For you know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

³ For this is the will of God: your sanctification. And that you should abstain from fornication;

⁴ so that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in holiness and honor,

⁵ not in the passion of lust (as the Gentiles do, who do not know God),

⁶ so that no one oppresses or defrauds his brother in any matter. For the Lord is Avenger of all such things, as we also have told you previously, and testified.

⁷ For God has not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.

⁸ Therefore, the one who ignores these things, does not ignore man, but God (Who has also given His Holy Spirit).

⁹ But concerning brotherly love, you do not need me to write to you. For you are taught by God to love one another.

¹⁰ And, indeed, you do so to all the brothers throughout all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to increase more and more

¹¹ and to earnestly endeavor to be quiet and mind your own business; and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

¹² so that you may behave honorably toward those who are outside, and that you lack nothing.

¹³ Brothers, I would not have you be ignorant concerning those who are asleep, lest you mourn as others who have no hope.

¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus is dead and is risen, so also will God bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

¹⁵ For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord: that we who live - and remain until the coming of the Lord - shall not precede those who sleep.

¹⁶ For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first.

¹⁷ Then shall we who live and remain be caught up with them also in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.

¹⁸ Therefore, comfort one another with these words.