1 Thessalonians 4 - 5
Sanctification and Love
4aFinally then, bbrothers, we ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us as to how you ought to 1,cwalk and dplease God (just as you actually do 2walk), that you eexcel still more. 2For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you aabstain from 1sexual immorality; 4that aeach of you know how to 1possess his own 2,bvessel in sanctification and chonor, 5not in 1,alustful passion, like the Gentiles who bdo not know God; 6and that no man transgress and adefraud his brother bin the matter because cthe Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also dtold you before and solemnly warned you. 7For aGod did not call us to bimpurity, but 1in sanctification. 8Consequently, he who sets this aside is not setting aside man but the God who agives His Holy Spirit to you.
9Now concerning alove of the brothers, you bhave no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are ctaught by God to love one another, 10for indeed ayou do practice it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to bexcel still more, 11and to make it your ambition ato lead a quiet life and battend to your own business and cwork with your hands, just as we commanded you, 12so that you will awalk properly toward boutsiders and 1,cnot be in any need.
The Dead in Christ Will Rise
13But awe do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who bare asleep, so that you will not grieve as do cthe rest who have dno hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, aeven so God will bring with Him bthose who have fallen asleep 1in Jesus. 15For this we say to you aby the word of the Lord, that bwe who are alive 1and remain until cthe coming of the Lord, will not precede dthose who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord aHimself bwill descend from heaven with a 1,cshout, with the voice of dthe archangel and with the etrumpet of God, and fthe dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then awe who are alive 1and remain will be bcaught up together with them cin the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always dbe with the Lord. 18Therefore comfort one another with these words.
The Day of the Lord
5Now concerning the atimes and the seasons, brothers, you bhave no need of anything to be written to you. 2For you yourselves know full well that athe day of the Lord 1will come bjust like a thief in the night. 3While they are saying, “aPeace and safety!” then 1,bdestruction 2will come upon them suddenly like clabor pains upon a woman who is pregnant, and they will never escape. 4But you, brothers, are not in adarkness, that the day would overtake you 1,blike a thief, 5for you are all asons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of bdarkness; 6so then let us not asleep as 1,bothers do, but let us be awake and 2,csober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get adrunk at night. 8But since awe are of the day, let us bbe 1sober, having put on the cbreastplate of dfaith and love, and as a ehelmet, the fhope of salvation. 9For God has not appointed us for awrath, but for bobtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10awho died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11Therefore, 1comfort one another and abuild up one another, just as you also are doing.
Admonishment and Instruction
12But we ask of you, brothers, that you aknow those bwho labor among you, and clead you in the Lord and admonish you, 13and that you regard them very highly in love because of their work. aLive in peace with one another. 14And we urge you, brothers, admonish athe 1unruly, encourage bthe fainthearted, help cthe weak, be dpatient with everyone. 15See that ano one repays another with evil for evil, but always bseek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 16aRejoice always; 17apray without ceasing; 18in everything agive thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19aDo not quench the Spirit; 20do not despise aprophecies, 21but aexamine all things; bhold fast to that which is good; 22abstain from every 1form of evil.
23Now amay the God of peace bHimself sanctify you entirely, and may your cspirit and soul and body be preserved complete, dwithout blame at ethe coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24aFaithful is He who bcalls you, who also will do it.
26aGreet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27I implore you by the Lord to ahave this letter read to all the bbrothers.
28aThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.