1 Thessalonians — Chapter 4

1Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

2For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

3For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

4That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

5Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

6That 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.

7For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

8He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

9But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

10And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

11And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

12That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15For 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.

16For 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:

17Then 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.

18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk, --that ye abound more and more.

2For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

3For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication;

4that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

5not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who know not God;

6that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

7For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

8Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.

9But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;

10for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more;

11and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you;

12that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.

13But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.

14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.

16For 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;

17then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more.

2For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

3For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality,

4that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor,

5not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God.

6In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.

7For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.

8Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

9Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.

10And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,

11to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.

12In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.

13Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.

14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.

15For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep.

16For the Lord himself will come down 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.

17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

18Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.

2For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

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

4that each one of you know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor,

5not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God;

6that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

7For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

8Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.

9But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

10for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;

11and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you;

12that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.

13But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

15For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.

16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first,

17then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.

18Therefore comfort one another with these words.