Be Ready for the Day of the Lord

5 Now you do not need to have anything written to you about times and dates, brothers, ² for you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ When people^[a] say, “There is peace and security,” destruction will strike them as suddenly as labor pains come^[b] to a pregnant woman, and they will not be able to escape.

⁴ However, brothers, you are not in the darkness, in order that the Day of the Lord^[c] might surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to darkness. ⁶ Therefore, let’s not fall asleep like others do, but let’s stay awake and be sober. ⁷ For people who go to sleep, go to sleep at night; and people who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let’s be sober. We must put on the breastplate of faith and love, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹ For God has not destined us to receive^[d] wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,^{[e] 10} who died for us in order that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹ So then, encourage one another and build each other up, as you are doing.