1 Thessalonians 4
1 Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.
弟兄們，我還有話說：我們靠着主耶穌求你們，勸你們，你們既然受了我們的教訓，知道該怎樣行可以討上帝的喜悅，就要照你們現在所行的更加勉勵。
2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
你們原曉得，我們憑主耶穌傳給你們甚麼命令。
3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,
上帝的旨意就是要你們成為聖潔，遠避淫行；
4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor,
要你們各人曉得怎樣用聖潔、尊貴守着自己的身體，
5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God,
不放縱私慾的邪情，像那不認識上帝的外邦人。
6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.
不要一個人在這事上越分，欺負他的弟兄；因為這一類的事，主必報應，正如我預先對你們說過、又切切囑咐你們的。
7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
上帝召我們，本不是要我們沾染污穢，乃是要我們成為聖潔。
8 Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
所以，那棄絕的，不是棄絕人，乃是棄絕那賜聖靈給你們的上帝。
9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
論到弟兄們相愛，不用人寫信給你們；因為你們自己蒙了上帝的教訓，叫你們彼此相愛。
10 for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;
你們向馬其頓全地的眾弟兄固然是這樣行，但我勸弟兄們要更加勉勵。
11 and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you,
又要立志作安靜人，辦自己的事，親手做工，正如我們從前所吩咐你們的，
12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.
叫你們可以向外人行事端正，自己也就沒有甚麼缺乏了。
13 But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
論到睡了的人，我們不願意弟兄們不知道，恐怕你們憂傷，像那些沒有指望的人一樣。
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
我們若信耶穌死而復活了，那已經在耶穌裏睡了的人，上帝也必將他們與耶穌一同帶來。
15 For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.
我們現在照主的話告訴你們一件事：我們這活着還存留到主降臨的人，斷不能在那已經睡了的人之先。
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first,
因為主必親自從天降臨，有呼叫的聲音和天使長的聲音，又有上帝的號吹響；那在基督裏死了的人必先復活。
17 then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.
以後我們這活着還存留的人必和他們一同被提到雲裏，在空中與主相遇。這樣，我們就要和主永遠同在。
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
所以，你們當用這些話彼此勸慰。
