1 Thessalonians 4

Legacy Standard Bible

Sanctification and Love

4 ^(A)Finally then, ^(B)brothers, we ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us as to how you ought to ^[a](C)walk and ^(D)please God (just as you actually do ^[b]walk), that you ^(E)excel still more. ² For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you ^(F)abstain from ^[c]sexual immorality; ⁴ that ^(G)each of you know how to ^[d]possess his own ^[e](H)vessel in sanctification and ^(I)honor, ⁵ not in ^[f](J)lustful passion, like the Gentiles who ^(K)do not know God; ⁶ and that no man transgress and ^(L)defraud his brother ^(M)in the matter because ^(N)the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also ^(O)told you before and solemnly warned you. ⁷ For ^(P)God did not call us to ^(Q)impurity, but ^[g]in sanctification. ⁸ Consequently, he who sets this aside is not setting aside man but the God who ^(R)gives His Holy Spirit to you.

⁹ Now concerning ^(S)love of the brothers, you ^(T)have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are ^(U)taught by God to love one another, ¹⁰ for indeed ^(V)you do practice it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to ^(W)excel still more, ¹¹ and to make it your ambition ^(X)to lead a quiet life and ^(Y)attend to your own business and ^(Z)work with your hands, just as we commanded you, ¹² so that you will ^(AA)walk properly toward ^(AB)outsiders and ^[h](AC)not be in any need.

The Dead in Christ Will Rise

¹³ But ^(AD)we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who ^(AE)are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do ^(AF)the rest who have ^(AG)no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, ^(AH)even so God will bring with Him ^(AI)those who have fallen asleep ^[i]in Jesus. ¹⁵ For this we say to you ^(AJ)by the word of the Lord, that ^(AK)we who are alive ^[j]and remain until ^(AL)the coming of the Lord, will not precede ^(AM)those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord ^(AN)Himself ^(AO)will descend from heaven with a ^[k](AP)shout, with the voice of ^(AQ)the archangel and with the ^(AR)trumpet of God, and ^(AS)the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then ^(AT)we who are alive ^[l]and remain will be ^(AU)caught up together with them ^(AV)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always ^(AW)be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.