1 Thessalonians 4
4
1A few more things: Brothers and sisters, we plead with you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to behave in ways that please God, just as we instructed you. Of course you're already doing this, just do it more and more! 2You remember the instructions we gave you on behalf of the Lord Jesus. 3What God wants is for you to live holy lives. So stay away from sexual immorality 4in order that each of you may control yourselves#4:4. This could also be translated as “know how to take a wife.” in a way that is holy and respectful, 5not indulging passionate lust like the heathen#4:5. “Heathen,” meaning “Gentiles,” or “other nations.” who have no knowledge of God. 6Don't cheat or take advantage of another Christian in these matters, for the Lord is the one who executes justice in all such things, as we've already clearly explained to you, and warned you about. 7For God did not call us to live impure lives, but holy lives. 8So anyone who rejects this position isn't just rejecting what a human being is saying; they are rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9We certainly don't need to write and tell you to love fellow-believers, because God teaches you to love one another— 10and in fact you are demonstrating this love to all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so we want to encourage you, brothers and sisters, to love more and more. 11Try to live a quiet life, minding your own business, doing your own work, as we've already explained to you, 12so that your way of life may be respected by non-Christians and you won't have to rely on anyone to provide what you need.
13We don't want you to be confused about what happens when people die,#4:13. Literally, “fall asleep.” brothers and sisters, so that you won't grieve like others who don't have any hope. 14Since we're convinced that Jesus died and rose again, we're also sure that God will bring#4:14. “Bring… those,” obviously those who are resurrected from the earth, from the context of the two following verses. with Jesus those who have died trusting in him. 15What we're telling you comes from the Lord: Those of us who are alive and still here when the Lord comes certainly won't precede those who have died. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the cry of the archangel, and with the sound of God's trumpet, and those who have died in Christ will rise first. 17Then those of us who are alive and still here will be carried up together with them into the clouds, and we shall meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever! 18So encourage one another with these words.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
1 Thessalonians 4
4
A Life That Pleases God
1Finally, my dear friends, since you belong to the Lord Jesus, we beg and urge you to live as we taught you. Then you will please God. You are already living that way, but try even harder. 2Remember the instructions we gave you as followers of the Lord Jesus. 3God wants you to be holy, so don't be immoral in matters of sex. 4Respect and honor your wife.#4.4 your wife: Or “your body.” 5Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God. 6You must not cheat any of the Lord's followers in matters of sex.#4.6 in matters of sex: Or “in business.” Remember, we warned you that he punishes everyone who does such things. 7God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure. 8So if you don't obey these rules, you are not really disobeying us. Instead, you are disobeying God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9We don't have to write you about the need to love each other. God has taught you to do this, 10and you already have shown your love for all his people in Macedonia. But, my dear friends, we ask you to do even more. 11Try your best to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work hard, just as we taught you to do. 12#3 Macc 3.5. Then you will be respected by people who are not followers of the Lord, and you won't have to depend on anyone.
The Lord's Coming
13My friends, we want you to understand how it will be for those followers who have already died. Then you won't grieve over them and be like people who don't have any hope. 14We believe Jesus died and was raised to life. We also believe that when God brings Jesus back again, he will bring with him all who had faith in Jesus before they died. 15#1 Co 15.51,52. #Si 48.11. Our Lord Jesus told us that when he comes, we won't go up to meet him ahead of his followers who have already died.
16 #
2 Esd 6.23. With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God's trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. 17Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. From that time on we will all be with the Lord forever. 18Encourage each other with these words.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
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