1 Thessalonians 4
1 Now, my fellow believers, [I want to write] about some other matters. Because we all have a close relationship with the Lord Jesus, we(exc) strongly urge you [DOU] to live in a way that pleases God. We taught you to do that, and you know that we lived that way as a result of what the Lord Jesus [told us]. We know that you are conducting your lives that way, but [we strongly urge] that you do that even more.
Weiter, liebe Brüder, bitten wir euch und ermahnen in dem HERRN Jesu (nachdem ihr von uns empfangen habt, wie ihr sollet wandeln und Gott gefallen), daß ihr immer völliger werdet.
Denn ihr wisset, welche Gebote wir euch gegeben haben durch den HERRN Jesum.
3 God wants you to live pure lives that will show that you completely belong to him. He wants you to avoid doing any sexually immoral acts (OR, avoid being sexually immoral in any way).
Denn das ist der Wille Gottes, eure Heiligung, daß ihr meidet die Hurerei,
4 [That is, he wants] each one of you to know how to control your own sexual desires [EUP]. He wants you to live pure lives that all people will see as good.
und ein jeglicher unter euch wisse sein Faß zu behalten in Heiligung und Ehren,
5 You must not lustfully desire [to do] immoral acts as unbelievers [MTY] [do] who do not obey God.
nicht in der Lustseuche wie die Heiden, die von Gott nichts wissen;
6 [God wants each one of you to control your sexual desires, in order that] no one of you sin against your fellow believer and take advantage of him or her by doing things like that. Remember that we strongly warned you previously [DOU] that the Lord [Jesus] will punish all [people who do] sexually immoral acts.
und daß niemand zu weit greife noch übervorteile seinen Bruder im Handel; denn der HERR ist der Rächer über das alles, wie wir euch zuvor gesagt und bezeuget haben.
7 When God chose us [believers], he did not want us to [be people who] behave in a sexually immoral way. On the contrary, [he wants us] to be [people who] behave in a morally pure way.
Denn Gott hat uns nicht berufen zur Unreinigkeit, sondern zur Heiligung.
8 So I warn you that those who disregard [this teaching] of mine [are] not just disregarding me. On the contrary, [they are disregarding] God, [because God commanded it. Remember that] God sent his Spirit, who is holy, [to live] in you!
Wer nun verachtet, der verachtet nicht Menschen, sondern Gott, der seinen Heiligen Geist gegeben hat in euch.
9 [I want to urge you] again [that you should] love [your] fellow believers [MET]. You do not really need that [anyone] write to you about that, because God has already taught you [how] to love each other,
Von der brüderlichen Liebe aber ist nicht not, euch zu schreiben; denn ihr seid selbst von Gott gelehret euch untereinander zu lieben.
10 and because you already are [showing that you love] your fellow believers [HYP] [who live] in other places [in your province] of Macedonia. Nevertheless, my fellow believers, we urge you to [love each other] even more.
Und das tut ihr auch an allen Brüdern, die in ganz Mazedonien sind. Wir ermahnen euch aber, liebe Brüder, daß ihr noch völliger werdet.
11 [We urge you] also to eagerly strive/try to mind your own affairs and to not meddle/interfere with the affairs of others. We urge you also to work at your own occupations/jobs [to earn what you need to live]. Remember that we taught you previously to live like that.
Und ringet danach, daß ihr stille seid und das Eure schaffet und arbeitet mit euren eigenen Händen, wie wir euch geboten haben,
12 If you do these things, unbelievers will acknowledge/see that you behave decently/properly, and you will not have to depend on others [to] ([supply/give to you]) [what you need].
auf daß ihr ehrbarlich wandelt gegen die, die draußen sind, und ihrer keines bedürfet.
13 My fellow believers, we also want you to understand well [LIT] [what will happen] to our fellow believers [who now] are dead [EUP]. [You must not be/do like] the unbelievers. They [grieve deeply for people who die because] they do not confidently expect [people to live again after they die].
Wir wollen euch aber, liebe Brüder, nicht verhalten von denen, die da schlafen, auf daß ihr nicht traurig seid wie die andern, die keine Hoffnung haben.
14 We [believers] know that it is true that Jesus died and that he came back [to life] again. So [we also know well that] when Jesus returns, God [will cause] those [believers] who died [EUP] [to live again] and to come with [Jesus].
Denn so wir glauben, daß Jesus gestorben und auferstanden ist, also wird Gott auch, die da entschlafen sind durch Jesum, mit ihm führen.
15 [I write this] because the Lord [Jesus] revealed [to me] what I am now telling you. [Some of you may think that] when the Lord [Jesus] comes back, he will consider that we [believers] who are still living will be superior to those [believers] who have died [EUP], because [we will meet Jesus first. That is certainly not true]!
Denn das sagen wir euch als ein Wort des HERRN, daß wir, die wir leben und überbleiben in der Zukunft des HERRN, werden denen nicht zuvorkommen, die da schlafen
16 It is the Lord [Jesus] himself who will descend from heaven. [When he comes down, he] will command all of [us believers to rise from their graves]. The chief angel will shout [loudly], and [another angel] will blow a trumpet for God. Then (OR, As a result), the first thing that will happen is that the people who [trusted] in Christ before they died will live again.
Denn er selbst, der HERR, wird mit einem Feldgeschrei und Stimme des Erzengels und mit der Posaune Gottes herniederkommen vom Himmel, und die Toten in Christo werden auferstehen zuerst.
17 After that, [God] will powerfully take up into the clouds all of us [believers] who are still living [on this earth]. [He will take us] and those [other believers who have died], in order that [we all] might together meet/welcome the Lord [Jesus] in the sky. As a result of that, we [all] will be with him forever.
Danach wir, die wir leben und überbleiben, werden zugleich mit denselbigen hingerückt werden in den Wolken dem HERRN entgegen in der Luft; und werden also bei dem HERRN sein allezeit.
18 Because [all this is true], encourage/comfort each other by reminding each other of this teaching.
So tröstet euch nun mit diesen Worten untereinander!
