1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:25

New American Standard Bible

Sanctification and Love

4 ^(A)Finally then, ^(B)brothers and sisters, we request and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction 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 even more. ²For you know what instructions we gave you ^[c]by the authority of the Lord Jesus. ³For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you ^(F)abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴that ^(G)each of you know how to ^[d]possess his own ^[e]^(H)vessel in sanctification and ^(I)honor, ⁵not in ^[f]^(J)lustful passion, like the Gentiles who ^(K)do not know God; ⁶and that no one violate the rights and ^(L)take advantage of his brother or sister ^(M)in the matter, because ^(N)the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also ^(O)told you previously and solemnly warned you. ⁷For ^(P)God has not called us for ^[g]^(Q)impurity, but in sanctification. ⁸Therefore, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who ^(R)gives His Holy Spirit to you.

⁹Now as to the ^(S)love of the brothers and sisters, you ^(T)have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are ^(U)taught by God to love one another; ¹⁰for indeed ^(V)you practice it toward all the brothers and sisters who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to ^(W)excel even more, ¹¹and 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 instructed you, ¹²so that you will ^[h]^(AA)behave properly toward ^(AB)outsiders and ^[i]^(AC)not be in any need.

Those Who Died in Christ

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

The Day of the Lord

5 Now as to the ^(AX)periods and ^[o]times, brothers and sisters, you ^(AY)have no need of anything to be written to you. ²For you yourselves know full well that ^(AZ)the day of the Lord is coming ^(BA)just like a thief in the night. ³While they are saying, “^(BB)Peace and safety!” then ^(BC)sudden destruction ^[p]will come upon them like ^(BD)labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴But you, brothers and sisters, are not in ^(BE)darkness, so that the day would overtake you ^[q]^(BF)like a thief; ⁵for you are all ^(BG)sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of ^(BH)darkness; ⁶so then, let’s not ^(BI)sleep as ^[r]^(BJ)others do, but let’s be alert and ^[s]^(BK)sober. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, ^(BL)get drunk at night. ⁸But since ^(BM)we are of the day, let’s ^(BN)be ^[t]sober, having put on the ^(BO)breastplate of ^(BP)faith and love, and as a ^(BQ)helmet, the ^(BR)hope of salvation. ⁹For God has not destined us for ^(BS)wrath, but for ^(BT)obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰^(BU)who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. ¹¹Therefore, ^[u]encourage one another and ^(BV)build one another up, just as you also are doing.

Christian Conduct

¹²But we ask you, brothers and sisters, to ^(BW)recognize those ^(BX)who diligently labor among you and ^[v]^(BY)are in leadership over you in the Lord, and give you ^[w]instruction, ¹³and that you regard them very highly in love because of their work. ^(BZ)Live in peace with one another. ¹⁴We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish ^(CA)the ^[x]unruly, encourage ^(CB)the fainthearted, help ^(CC)the weak, be ^(CD)patient with everyone. ¹⁵See that ^(CE)no one repays another with evil for evil, but always ^(CF)seek what is good for one another and for all people. ¹⁶^(CG)Rejoice always, ¹⁷^(CH)pray without ceasing, ¹⁸in everything ^(CI)give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹^(CJ)Do not quench the Spirit, ²⁰do not utterly reject ^[y]^(CK)prophecies, ²¹but ^(CL)examine everything; ^(CM)hold firmly to that which is good, ²²abstain from every ^[z]form of evil.

²³Now ^(CN)may the God of peace ^(CO)Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your ^(CP)spirit and soul and body be kept complete, ^(CQ)without blame at ^(CR)the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴^(CS)Faithful is He who ^(CT)calls you, and He also will do it.