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For this is God’s will: that you become holy,[a] that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to possess his own body[b] in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him,[c] because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases,[d] as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority[e] but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 tn Or “your sanctification.”
  2. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 tn Grk “to gain [or possess] his own vessel.” “Vessel” is most likely used figuratively for “body” (cf. 2 Cor 4:7). Some take it to mean “wife” (thus, “to take a wife for himself” or “to live with his wife”), but this is less likely. See J. Smith, “1 Thess 4:4—Breaking the Impasse,” BBR 10 (Fall 2000), who argues that “vessel” in this context is very likely a euphemism for the sexual organs.
  3. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 tn Grk “not to transgress against or defraud his brother in the matter,” continuing the sentence of vv. 3-5.
  4. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 tn Grk “concerning all these things.”
  5. 1 Thessalonians 4:8 tn Grk “rejecting man.”

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you (A)abstain from [a]sexual immorality; that (B)each of you know how to [b]possess his own [c](C)vessel in sanctification and (D)honor, not in [d](E)lustful passion, like the Gentiles who (F)do not know God; and that no man transgress and (G)defraud his brother (H)in the matter because (I)the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also (J)told you before and solemnly warned you. For (K)God did not call us to (L)impurity, but [e]in sanctification. Consequently, he who sets this aside is not setting aside man but the God who (M)gives His Holy Spirit to you.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 Or fornication
  2. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or acquire
  3. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Body, wife
  4. 1 Thessalonians 4:5 Lit passion of lust
  5. 1 Thessalonians 4:7 In the state or sphere of