The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

¹³ We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.^{(A) 14} For if we believe that Jesus died and rose^(B) again,^(C) in the same way, through Jesus,^(D) God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁵ For we say this to you by a word from the Lord:^(E) We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming^(F) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(G) 16} For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout,^[a](H) with the archangel’s^(I) voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ^(J) will rise first. ¹⁷ Then^(K) we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(L) to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

⁴ On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,^(A) which faces Jerusalem on the east. The Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, forming a huge valley, so that half the mountain will move to the north and half to the south. ⁵ You will flee by my mountain valley,^[a] for the valley of the mountains will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled^[b] from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah.^(B) Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones^(C) with him.^[c](D)

⁶ On that day there will be no light; the sunlight and moonlight will diminish.^{[d][e](E) 7} It will be a unique day known only to the Lord,^(F) without day or night, but there will be light at evening.

⁸ On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem,^(G) half of it toward the eastern sea^[f] and the other half toward the western sea,^[g] in summer and winter alike. ⁹ On that day the Lord will become King over the whole earth^(H)—the Lord alone, and his name alone.^{(I) 10} All the land from Geba^(J) to Rimmon^(K) south of Jerusalem will be changed into a plain. But Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain^[h] on its site from the Benjamin Gate^(L) to the place of the First Gate,^[i] to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses.^{(M) 11} People will live there, and never again will there be a curse of complete destruction. So Jerusalem will dwell in security.

¹⁰ Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing^(A) that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.^(B)