¹We thought it best to remain in Athens by ourselves. But, because we couldn’t wait any longer ⸤for news about you⸥, ²we sent our brother Timothy to you. He serves God by spreading the Good News about Christ. His mission was to strengthen and encourage you in your faith ³so that these troubles don’t disturb any of you. You know that we’re destined to suffer persecution. ⁴In fact, when we were with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to suffer persecution. And as you know, that’s what happened. ⁵But when I couldn’t wait any longer, I sent ⸤Timothy⸥ to find out about your faith. I wanted to see whether the tempter had in some way tempted you, making our work meaningless.

⁶But Timothy has just now come back to us from you and has told us the good news about your faith and love. He also told us that you always have fond memories of us and want to see us, as we want to see you. ⁷So brothers and sisters, your faith has encouraged us in all our distress and trouble. ⁸Now we can go on living as long as you keep your relationship with the Lord firm.

⁹We can never thank God enough for all the joy you give us as we rejoice in God’s presence. ¹⁰We pray very hard night and day that we may see you again so that we can supply whatever you still need for your faith. ¹¹We pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus will guide us to you. ¹²We also pray that the Lord will greatly increase your love for each other and for everyone else, just as we love you. ¹³Then he will strengthen you to be holy. Then you will be blameless in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all God’s holy people.

4TH CHAPTER

Instructions on the Way Christians Should Live

¹Now then, brothers and sisters, because of the Lord Jesus we ask and encourage you to excel in living a God-pleasing life even more than you already do. Do this the way we taught you. ²You know what orders we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³It is God’s will that you keep away from sexual sin as a mark of your devotion to him. ⁴Each of you should know that finding a husband or wife for yourself is to be done in a holy and honorable way, ⁵not in the passionate, lustful way of people who don’t know God. ⁶No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this. ⁷God didn’t call us to be sexually immoral but to be holy. ⁸Therefore, whoever rejects this ⸤order⸥ is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

⁹You don’t need anyone to write to you about the way Christians should love each other. God has taught you to love each other. ¹⁰In fact, you are showing love to all the Christians throughout the province of Macedonia. We encourage you as believers to excel in love even more. ¹¹Also, make it your goal to live quietly, do your work, and earn your own living, as we ordered you. ¹²Then your way of life will win respect from those outside ⸤the church⸥, and you won’t have to depend on anyone else for what you need.

Comfort about Christians Who Have Died

¹³Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to be ignorant about those who have died. We don’t want you to grieve like other people who have no hope. ¹⁴We believe that Jesus died and came back to life. We also believe that, through Jesus, God will bring back those who have died. They will come back with Jesus. ¹⁵We are telling you what the Lord taught. We who are still alive when the Lord comes will not go ⸤into his kingdom⸥ ahead of those who have already died. ¹⁶The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet ⸤call⸥ of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life. ¹⁷Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸So then, comfort each other with these words!

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