1 Thessalonians 4

1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort [you] by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, [ so] ye would 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 commandments we gave you by 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 should abstain from fornication:

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

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

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

5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

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

6 That no [man] go beyond and defraud his brother in [any] matter: because that the Lord [is] the avenger of all such, as we also have 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 hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

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

8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

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 as touching brotherly love ye need not that I 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 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase 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 own hands, as we commanded 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 honestly toward them that are without, and [that] ye may have lack 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 I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which 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 which sleep 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 which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are 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 which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them 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.