1 Thessalonians 4

1 Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk, —that ye abound more and more.

Finally, then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you, by our Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to walk and please God, you would abound more and more.

2 For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

For you know what commandments we gave you by our Lord Jesus.

3 For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication;

For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you keep yourselves from lewdness;

4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

That each one of you know how to keep his vessel in sanctification and in honor,

5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who know not God;

not in passionate desire, as the Gentiles do, who know not God;

6 that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

That no one take advantage of or injure his brother in this matter; because the Lord takes vengeance for all such things, as we also told you before, and fully testified:

7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

for God has not called us for uncleanness, but for holiness.

8 Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.

Therefore, he that despises, despises not man, but God, who has given us his Holy Spirit.

9 But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;

But with respect to brotherly love, you have no need that I write to you: for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another;

10 for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more;

and indeed you do this to all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that you abound in love more and more,

11 and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you;

and that you earnestly endeavor to live quietly, and that you attend to your own business, and work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

12 that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.

in order that you may walk with propriety toward those who are without, and may have need of nothing.

13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.

But concerning those who have fallen asleep, I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that you may not grieve, as others who have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also should we believe that God will, through Jesus, bring with him those who sleep.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we, the living, who remain till the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who are asleep

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;

for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall arise first;

17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

then we, the living who remain, shall, together with them, be caught up in clouds into the air to meet the Lord, and so shall we be ever with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

So, then, comfort one another with these words.