Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

A Life That Pleases God

4 Finally, my dear friends, since you belong to the Lord Jesus, we beg and urge you to live as we taught you. Then you will please God. You are already living that way, but try even harder. ² Remember the instructions we gave you as followers of the Lord Jesus. ³ God wants you to be holy, so don't be immoral in matters of sex. ⁴ Respect and honor your wife.^{[a] 5} Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God. ⁶ You must not cheat any of the Lord's followers in matters of sex.^[b] Remember, we warned you that he punishes everyone who does such things. ⁷ God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure. ⁸ So if you don't obey these rules, you are not really disobeying us. Instead, you are disobeying God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

⁹ We don't have to write you about the need to love each other. God has taught you to do this, ¹⁰ and you already have shown your love for all his people in Macedonia. But, my dear friends, we ask you to do even more. ¹¹ Try your best to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work hard, just as we taught you to do. ^12 (A) Then you will be respected by people who are not followers of the Lord, and you won't have to depend on anyone.

The Lord's Coming

¹³ My friends, we want you to understand how it will be for those followers who have already died. Then you won't grieve over them and be like people who don't have any hope. ¹⁴ We believe Jesus died and was raised to life. We also believe that when God brings Jesus back again, he will bring with him all who had faith in Jesus before they died. ^15 (B)(C) Our Lord Jesus told us that when he comes, we won't go up to meet him ahead of his followers who have already died.

^16 (D) With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God's trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. ¹⁷ Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. From that time on we will all be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Encourage each other with these words.

5 I don't need to write you about the time or date when all this will happen. ^2 (E) You surely know that the Lord's return^[c] will be as a thief coming at night. ³ People will think they are safe and secure. But destruction will suddenly strike them like the pains of a woman about to give birth. And they won't escape.

⁴ My dear friends, you don't live in darkness, and so that day won't surprise you like a thief. ⁵ You belong to the light and live in the day. We don't live in the night or belong to the dark. ⁶ Others may sleep, but we should stay awake and be alert. ⁷ People sleep during the night, and some even get drunk. ^8 (F) But we belong to the day. So we must stay sober and let our faith and love be like a suit of armor. Our firm hope that we will be saved is our helmet.

⁹ God doesn't intend to punish us, but wants us to be saved by our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ Christ died for us, so we could live with him, whether we are alive or dead when he comes. ¹¹ This is why you must encourage and help each other, just as you are already doing.

Final Instructions and Greetings

¹² My friends, we ask you to be thoughtful of your leaders who work hard and tell you how to live for the Lord. ¹³ Show them great respect and love because of their work. Try to get along with each other. ¹⁴ My friends, we beg you to warn anyone who isn't living right. Encourage anyone who feels left out, help all who are weak, and be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Don't be hateful to people, just because they are hateful to you. Rather, be good to each other and to everyone else.

¹⁶ Always be joyful ¹⁷ and never stop praying. ¹⁸ Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.

¹⁹ Don't turn away God's Spirit ²⁰ or ignore prophecies. ²¹ Put everything to the test. Accept what is good ²² and don't have anything to do with evil.

²³ I pray that God, who gives peace, will make you completely holy. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy and faultless until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. ²⁴ The one who chose you can be trusted, and he will do this.

²⁵ Friends, please pray for us.

²⁶ Give the Lord's followers a warm greeting.

²⁷ In the name of the Lord I beg you to read this letter to all his followers.

²⁸ I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you!