1 Thessalonians 4

1 Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. So you should do so all the more.

2 For you know the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality;

4 each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

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

6 and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.

7 For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.

8 Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who has given you His Holy Spirit.

9 Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.

10 And you are indeed showing this love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more

11 and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.

12 Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.

13 Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.

14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

15 By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.

17 After that, we who are alive and remain 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.

18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 ¶ Furthermore 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.

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

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

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

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

6 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 ¶ But 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.

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

15 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.

16 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:

17 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.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Further, brethren, we beseech you and exhort you in the Lord Jesus (after you have received from us how you ought to walk and please God), that you may be more and more complete.

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

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that ye avoid fornication,

4 And let every one of you keep his barrel in sanctification and honour,

5 Not in the lust pestilence like the heathen, who know nothing of GOD;

6 And that no man go too far, nor take advantage of his brother in trade: for the LORD is the avenger of all these things, as we have said and testified unto you before.

7 For God has not called us to uncleanness, but to sanctification].

8 Whosoever therefore despiseth, despiseth not men, but God, who hath given his Holy Spirit within you.

9 But of brotherly love it is not necessary to write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

10 And this do ye also unto all the brethren which are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye be yet more complete.

11 And run after it, that ye may be quiet, and do your own work, and work with your own hands, as we commanded you,

12 That ye may walk uprightly toward them that are without, and have no need of them.

13 But we would not, brethren, keep you from them that sleep, lest ye be sorrowful like unto them which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that JESUS died and rose again, God also will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through JESUS.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the LORD, that we which are alive and remain unto the future of the LORD shall not precede them which are asleep.

16 For he himself, the LORD, shall come down from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

17 And 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.

18 Comfort yourselves therefore with these words one to another:]