1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

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. ²For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

³It is God’s will^(D) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;^(E) ⁴that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a]^(F) in a way that is holy and honorable, ⁵not in passionate lust^(G) like the pagans,^(H) who do not know God;^(I) ⁶and 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. ⁷For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.^(M) ⁸Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.^(N)

⁹Now 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) ¹⁰And 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) ¹¹and 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, ¹²so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders^(V) and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

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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.

Psalm 73

New International Version

BOOK III

Psalms 73–89

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

¹Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.^(A)

²But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;^(B)
I had nearly lost my foothold.^(C)
³For I envied^(D) the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.^(E)

⁴They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.^[a]
⁵They are free^(F) from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶Therefore pride^(G) is their necklace;^(H)
    they clothe themselves with violence.^(I)
⁷From their callous hearts^(J) comes iniquity^[b];
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
⁸They scoff, and speak with malice;^(K)
    with arrogance^(L) they threaten oppression.^(M)
⁹Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.^[c]
¹¹They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”

¹²This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care,^(N) they go on amassing wealth.^(O)

¹³Surely in vain^(P) I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.^(Q)
¹⁴All day long I have been afflicted,^(R)
and every morning brings new punishments.

¹⁵If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.
¹⁶When I tried to understand^(S) all this,
    it troubled me deeply
¹⁷till I entered the sanctuary^(T) of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.^(U)

¹⁸Surely you place them on slippery ground;^(V)
    you cast them down to ruin.^(W)
¹⁹How suddenly^(X) are they destroyed,
    completely swept away^(Y) by terrors!
²⁰They are like a dream^(Z) when one awakes;^(AA)
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.^(AB)

²¹When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
²²I was senseless^(AC) and ignorant;
I was a brute beast^(AD) before you.

²³Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.^(AE)
²⁴You guide^(AF) me with your counsel,^(AG)
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵Whom have I in heaven but you?^(AH)
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.^(AI)
²⁶My flesh and my heart^(AJ) may fail,^(AK)
    but God is the strength^(AL) of my heart
    and my portion^(AM) forever.

²⁷Those who are far from you will perish;^(AN)
    you destroy all who are unfaithful^(AO) to you.
²⁸But as for me, it is good to be near God.^(AP)
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;^(AQ)
    I will tell of all your deeds.^(AR)

Footnotes

Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.