1 Thessalonians 3:12–4:10

¹²and may the Lord cause you to increase and to abound in love for one another and for all, just as also we do for you, ¹³so that your hearts may be established blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.^b

Appeal for Continuing Sanctification

4Finally therefore, brothers, we ask you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus that, just as you have received from us how it is necessary for you to live and to please God, just as indeed you are living, that you progress even more. ²For you know what commands we gave to you through the Lord Jesus. ³For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵not in lustful passion, just as also the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶not to transgress and to exploit his brother in the matter, because the Lord is the one who avenges concerning all these things, just as also we told you beforehand and testified solemnly. ⁷For God did not call us to impurity, but in holiness. ⁸Therefore the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Affirmation of Continuing Love

⁹But concerning brotherly love, I do not have need to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, ¹⁰for indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to progress even more,