Font Size
1 Thessalonians 4-5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 Thessalonians 4-5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
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.(A) 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;(B) 4 that each one of you know how to control your own body[a] 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.(C) 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,(D) 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,(E) 12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and be dependent on no one.(F)
The Coming of the Lord
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died,[b] 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.[c](G) 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.[d] 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.(H) 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.(I) 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you.(J) 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.(K) 3 When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape!(L) 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief;(M) 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So, then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober,(N) 7 for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.(O) 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation.(P) 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,(Q) 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.(R) 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
Final Exhortations, Greetings, and Benediction
12 But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you;(S) 13 esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them.(T) 15 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.(U) 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good;(V) 22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound[e] and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.(W) 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.(X)
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.(Y)
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. 27 I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers and sisters.(Z)
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.[f]
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.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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.