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.

A 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!

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

You remember the instructions we gave you on behalf of the Lord Jesus.

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

What God wants is for you to live holy lives. So stay away from sexual immorality

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

in order that each of you may control yourselves in a way that is holy and respectful,

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

not indulging passionate lust like the heathen who have no knowledge of 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.

Don'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.

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

For God did not call us to live impure lives, but holy lives.

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

So 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.

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;

We certainly don't need to write and tell you to love fellow believers, because God teaches you 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 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.

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;

Try to live a quiet life, minding your own business, doing your own work, as we've already explained to you,

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

so 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.

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.

We don't want you to be confused about what happens when people die, brothers and sisters, so that you won't grieve like others who don't have any 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.

Since we're convinced that Jesus died and rose again, we're also sure that God will bring with Jesus those who have died trusting in him.

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.

What 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.

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 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.

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 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!

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

So encourage one another with these words.