1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:11

English Standard Version

¹⁶ For ^(A)the Lord himself will descend ^(B)from heaven ^(C)with a cry of command, with the voice of ^(D)an archangel, and ^(E)with the sound of the trumpet of God. And ^(F)the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be ^(G)caught up together with them ^(H)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so ^(I)we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Day of the Lord

5 Now concerning ^(J)the times and the seasons, brothers,^{[a] (K)}you have no need to have anything written to you. ² For you yourselves are fully aware that ^(L)the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then ^(M)sudden destruction will come upon them ^(N)as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you ^(O)are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all ^(P)children^[b] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶ So then ^(Q)let us not sleep, as others do, but let us ^(R)keep awake and ^(S)be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, ^(T)are drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, ^(U)having put on the breastplate of ^(V)faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for ^(W)wrath, but ^(X)to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^10 (Y)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.