³It is God’s will^y that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;^z ⁴that each of you should learn to control your own body^a^a in a way that is holy and honorable, ⁵not in passionate lust^b like the pagans,^c who do not know God;^d ⁶and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.^b^e The Lord will punish^f all those who commit such sins,^g as we told you and warned you before.

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1 Thessalonians 4:3: For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality …

Footnotes

aOr learn to live with your own wife; or learn to acquire a wife
bThe Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.

Cross references

ySee Eph 5:17
zSee 1 Co 6:18
a 1 Co 7:2, 9
b Ro 1:26
c Eph 4:17
dSee Gal 4:8
e Lev 25:17; 1 Co 6:8
f Dt 32:35; Ps 94:1; Ro 2:5–11; 12:19; Heb 10:30, 31
g Heb 13:4

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God. This means one must not transgress against and take advantage of a brother or sister in this manner, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you.

NLTNew Living Translation

God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor—not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, just as also the Gentiles who do not know God; not 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.

KJV 1900King James Version

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

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