1 Thessalonians 4:1–5:28
4 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus athat you should abound more and more, bjust as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is cthe will of God, dyour sanctification: ethat you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 fthat each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 gnot in passion of lust, hlike the Gentiles iwho do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord jis the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, kbut in holiness. 8 lTherefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, mwho 1has also given us His Holy Spirit.
9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for nyou yourselves are taught by God oto love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, pthat you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, qto mind your own business, and rto work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 sthat you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
The Comfort of Christ’s Coming
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, 2 lest you sorrow tas others uwho have no hope. 14 For vif we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him wthose who 3sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you xby the word of the Lord, that ywe who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are 4asleep. 16 For zthe Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with athe trumpet of God. bAnd the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 cThen we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them din the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus ewe shall always be with the Lord. 18 fTherefore comfort one another with these words.
5 But concerning athe times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that bthe day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then csudden destruction comes upon them, das labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 eBut you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all fsons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 gTherefore let us not sleep, as others do, but hlet us watch and be 1sober. 7 For ithose who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk jare drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, kputting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For lGod did not appoint us to wrath, mbut to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 nwho died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11 Therefore 2comfort each other and 3edify one another, just as you also are doing.
12 And we urge you, brethren, oto recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and 4admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. pBe at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we 5exhort you, brethren, qwarn those who are 6unruly, rcomfort the fainthearted, suphold the weak, tbe patient with all. 15 uSee that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always vpursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16 wRejoice always, 17 xpray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 yDo not quench the Spirit. 20 zDo not despise prophecies. 21 aTest all things; bhold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may cthe God of peace Himself dsanctify 7you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body ebe preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is ffaithful, who also will gdo it.
26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this 8epistle be read to all the 9holy brethren.