1 Thessalonians 4

1 Finally 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.

And last of all, the prayer which we make to you from our heart and in the name of the Lord Jesus, is this: that as we made clear to you what sort of behaviour is pleasing to God, as in fact you are doing now, so you will go on in these ways, but more and more.

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

Because you have in mind the orders we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

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

For the purpose of God for you is this: that you may be holy, and may keep yourselves from the desires of the flesh;

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

So that every one of you may keep his body holy and in honour;

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

Not in the passion of evil desires, like the Gentiles, who have no knowledge of God;

6 that 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.

And that no man may make attempts to get the better of his brother in business: for the Lord is the judge in all these things, as we said to you before and gave witness.

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

Because it is God's purpose that our way of life may be not unclean but holy.

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

Whoever, then, goes against this word, goes against not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

9 But 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;

But about loving the brothers, there is no need for me to say anything to you in this letter: for you have the teaching of God that love for one another is right and necessary;

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

And, truly, you are lovers of all the brothers in Macedonia; but it is our desire that your love may be increased still more;

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

And that you may take pride in being quiet and doing your business, working with your hands as we gave you orders;

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

That you may be respected by those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.

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

But it is our desire, brothers, that you may be certain about those who are sleeping; so that you may have no need for sorrow, as others have who are without hope.

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

For if we have faith that Jesus underwent death and came back again, even so those who are sleeping will come again with him by God's power.

15 For 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.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are still living at the coming of the Lord, will not go before those who are sleeping.

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;

Because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a word of authority, with the voice of the chief angel, with the sound of a horn: and the dead in Christ will come to life first;

17 then 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.

Then we who are still living will be taken up together with them into the clouds to see the Lord in the air: and so will we be for ever with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

So then, give comfort to one another with these words.