¹⁵For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: ⁿ^oWe who are still alive at the Lord’s coming ^pwill certainly have no advantage over ^qthose who have fallen asleep. ^r¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, ^s^twith the archangel’s ^uvoice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ ^vwill rise first. ¹⁷Then ^wwe who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds ^xto meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord.

Read in Logos

1 Thessalonians 4:17: Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Footnotes

n4:15 Or a word of the Lord
q4:15 Or certainly not precede
s4:16 Or command

Cross references

o4:15 2Pt 1:21; Rv 11:8
p4:15 1Jn 2:28
r4:15 1Co 15:51
t4:16 Jn 5:25
u4:16 Jd 9
v4:16 Rm 16:7; 1Co 15:18; 1Pt 5:14; Rv 14:13; 20:5
w4:17 1Co 15:23, 51–52
x4:17 Mt 26:64

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

NLTNew Living Translation

We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain until the Lord’s coming, will not possibly precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always.

KJV 1900King James Version

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Public Domain