1 Thessalonians 4:3–8

4:3 For this is God’s will: that you become holy,4 that you keep away from sexual immorality, 4:4 that each of you know how to possess his own body5 in holiness and honor, 4:5 not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. 4:6 In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him,6 because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases,7 as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly. 4:7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. 4:8 Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority8 but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

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4	tn Or “your sanctification.”
5	tn Grk “to gain [or possess] his own vessel.” “Vessel” is most likely used figuratively for “body” (cf. 2 Cor 4:7). Some take it to mean “wife” (thus, “to take a wife for himself” or “to live with his wife”), but this is less likely. See J. Smith,”1 Thess 4:4—Breaking the Impasse,” BBR 10 (Fall 2000), who argues that “vessel” in this context is very likely a euphemism for the sexual organs.
6	tn Grk “not to transgress against or defraud his brother in the matter,” continuing the sentence of vv. 3–5.
7	tn Grk “concerning all these things.”
8	tn Grk “rejecting man.”