1 Thessalonians 4

1 Finally, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, just as you learned from us how you ought to walk and to please God, you do so more and more.

As to what remains therefore, my brethren, we intreat and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received instructions from us, how ye ought to walk and to please God, ye would abound therein more and more.

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

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

3 It is God's will that you be sanctified, that you abstain from fornication,

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

4 and that each of you know how to control your own body in holiness and honor,

and that every one of you should possess his vessel in sanctification and honor,

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

not in the passion of lust, like the heathens who know not God.

6 In this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of his brother, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you before and solemnly warned you.

That no one over-reach, or wrong his brother in any thing: because the Lord is an avenger of all such crimes, as we also told you before, and testified to you.

7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live in holiness.

For God hath not called us to impurity, but to holiness.

8 Therefore whoever rejects this command does not reject man but God, who has given his Holy Spirit to you.

He therefore who rejecteth us, rejecteth not man, but God; who hath given us his holy Spirit.

9 Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.

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

10 And indeed you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.

And indeed ye do it to all the brethren, that are in all Macedonia; but we exhort you, brethren, to abound in it more and more:

11 We urge you to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own affairs, and to work with your own hands, just as we commanded you,

and endeavour to be quiet, and mind your own affairs, and work with your own hands,

12 so that you may walk properly toward outsiders and not be in need of anything.

as we gave you in charge, that ye may walk decently toward those that are without, and may have need of no one's assistance.

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not be grieved like others who do not have hope.

But I would not have you ignorant, my brethren, concerning those that are fallen asleep, that ye may not be grieved like others who have no 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.

for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also those, that sleep in Jesus, will God bring with Him.

15 According to the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive, who are left behind until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For this we tell you in the word of the Lord, that we who shall be living and remain to the coming of the Lord, shall not be before those that are asleep.

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

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with acclamation, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;

17 Then we who are alive, who are left behind, 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.

then we who are living and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we for ever be with the Lord.

18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Therefore comfort one another with these words.