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.

God of All Comfort

^3 (A)Blessed be the ^(B)God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and ^(C)God of all comfort, ^4 (D)who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.