Thessalonicenses I 4
1 De cetero ergo, fratres, rogamus vos et obsecramus in Domino Jesu, ut quemadmodum accepistis a nobis quomodo oporteat vos ambulare, et placere Deo, sic et ambuletis ut abundetis magis.
Moreover, brethren, as you learnt from our lips the lives which you ought to live, and do live, so as to please God, we beg and exhort you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live them more and more truly.
2 Scitis enim quæ præcepta dederim vobis per Dominum Jesum.
For you know the commands which we laid upon you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 Hæc est enim voluntas Dei, sanctificatio vestra: ut abstineatis vos a fornicatione,
For this is God's will--your purity of life, that you abstain from fornication;
4 ut sciat unusquisque vestrum vas suum possidere in sanctificatione, et honore:
that each man among you shall know how to procure a wife who shall be his own in purity and honour;
5 non in passione desiderii, sicut et gentes, quæ ignorant Deum:
that you be not overmastered by lustful cravings, like the Gentiles who have no knowledge of God;
6 et ne quis supergrediatur, neque circumveniat in negotio fratrem suum: quoniam vindex est Dominus de his omnibus, sicut prædiximus vobis, et testificati sumus.
and that in this matter there be no encroaching on the rights of a brother Christian and no overreaching him. For the Lord is an avenger in all such cases, as we have already taught you and solemnly warned you.
7 Non enim vocavit nos Deus in immunditiam, sed in sanctificationem.
God has not called us to an unclean life, but to one of purity.
8 Itaque qui hæc spernit, non hominem spernit, sed Deum: qui etiam dedit Spiritum suum Sanctum in nobis.
Therefore a defiant spirit in such a case provokes not man but God, who puts His Holy Spirit into your hearts.
9 De caritate autem fraternitatis non necesse habemus scribere vobis: ipsi enim vos a Deo didicistis ut diligatis invicem.
But on the subject of love for the brotherhood it is unnecessary for me to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another;
10 Etenim illud facitis in omnes fratres in universa Macedonia. Rogamus autem vos, fratres, ut abundetis magis,
and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedonia. And we exhort you to do so more and more,
11 et opera detis ut quieti sitis, et ut vestrum negotium agatis, et operemini manibus vestris, sicut præcepimus vobis:
and to vie with one another in eagerness for peace, every one minding his own business and working with his hands, as we ordered you to do:
12 et ut honeste ambuletis ad eos qui foris sunt: et nullius aliquid desideretis.
so as to live worthy lives in relation to outsiders, and not be a burden to any one.
13 Nolumus autem vos ignorare fratres de dormientibus, ut non contristemini sicut et ceteri, qui spem non habent.
Now, concerning those who from time to time pass away, we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, lest you should mourn as others do who have no hope.
14 Si enim credimus quod Jesus mortuus est, et resurrexit: ita et Deus eos qui dormierunt per Jesum, adducet cum eo.
For if we believe that Jesus has died and risen again, we also believe that, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who shall have passed away.
15 Hoc enim vobis dicimus in verbo Domini, quia nos, qui vivimus, qui residui sumus in adventum Domini, non præveniemus eos qui dormierunt.
For this we declare to you on the Lord's own authority--that we who are alive and continue on earth until the Coming of the Lord, shall certainly not forestall those who shall have previously passed away.
16 Quoniam ipse Dominus in jussu, et in voce archangeli, et in tuba Dei descendet de cælo: et mortui, qui in Christo sunt, resurgent primi.
For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a loud word of command, and with an archangel's voice and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Deinde nos, qui vivimus, qui relinquimur, simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obviam Christo in aëra, et sic semper cum Domino erimus.
Afterwards we who are alive and are still on earth will be caught up in their company amid clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
18 Itaque consolamini invicem in verbis istis.
And so we shall be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
