But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you,

for this reason, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;

for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.

as we keep praying most earnestly night and day that we may see your faces, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?

so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

Sanctification and Love

Finally then, brothers and sisters, we request and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel even more.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;

that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

and that no one violate the rights and take advantage of his brother or sister in the matter, because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you previously and solemnly warned you.

For God has not called us for impurity, but in sanctification.

Therefore, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

Now as to the love of the brothers and sisters, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

for indeed you practice it toward all the brothers and sisters who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to excel even more,

so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

Those Who Died in Christ

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

The Day of the Lord

Now as to the periods and times, brothers and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you.

While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief;

for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;

so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.

For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night.