テサロニケ人への手紙第一 5
1 兄弟たち。それらがいつなのか、またどういう時かについては、あなたがたは私たちに書いてもらう必要がありません。
My fellow believers, [I want to tell you more] about the time or period [when the Lord Jesus will come back. Really], you do not need me to you about that,
2 主の日が夜中の盗人のように来るということは、あなたがた自身がよく承知しているからです。
because you yourselves know accurately [what will happen! You know] that the Lord [Jesus will return] [MTY] [unexpectedly] (OR, [when some people are unprepared]). [People will not expect him, just like no one knows when] a thief [comes unexpectedly] at night [SIM].
3 人々が「平和だ。安全だ。」と言っているそのようなときに、突如として滅びが彼らに襲いかかります。ちょうど妊婦に産みの苦しみが臨むようなもので、それをのがれることは決してできません。
[At a future time] many people will say, “[All is] peaceful and [we are] safe!” Then suddenly the Lord Jesus will come to punish people severely! Just like a pregnant woman who [experiences] birth pains [cannot stop those pains], those people will definitely not [have any way to] escape [their punishment].
4 しかし、兄弟たち。あなたがたは暗やみの中にはいないのですから、その日が、盗人のようにあなたがたを襲うことはありません。
[Just like people] in the dark [are unaware of what is happening around them, most people will not be aware of what is about to happen to them] [MET, PRS]. Just like a thief [comes unexpectedly for people who are unaware, that time of punishment will come when people are not expecting it] [SIM]. But you, my fellow believers, are people who are very much aware [LIT] of what is going to happen. As a result, you will be expecting [LIT] those things [MTY] to happen [PRS]. All of us [believers] are people [IDM] [who do what is right, as people usually do in] the daytime [MET] [when their actions can be seen]. We are not [people who do evil things, as some people do when it is] dark [MET].
5 あなたがたはみな、光の子ども、昼の子どもだからです。私たちは、夜や暗やみの者ではありません。
6 ですから、ほかの人々のように眠っていないで、目をさまして、慎み深くしていましょう。
So we believers must be aware of what is happening. We must be watching carefully, [as people who are awake watch for a thief] [MET]. We must be self-controlled, as people who are (sober/not drunk) are able to control what they do [MET]. People who sleep [MET] [are unaware of what is happening, and unbelievers are like that].
7 眠る者は夜眠り、酔う者は夜酔うからです。
It is at night when people become drunk [and they do very wrong actions/things, and are unaware of what is happening because they] are asleep.
8 しかし、私たちは昼の者なので、信仰と愛を胸当てとして着け、救いの望みをかぶととしてかぶって、慎み深くしていましょう。
But we believers are people who [should do what is right] [MET], so we must be self-controlled, [as people] in the daytime [are usually not drunk and are able to control what they do] [MET]. [As Roman soldiers protect themselves by] putting on breastplates and helmets [MET], we [believers] must [protect ourselves by continuing to] trust and love [the Lord Jesus] and by continuing to confidently expect that he will save [us from God’s punishing us at the time when he will punish other people].
9 神は、私たちが御怒りに会うようにお定めになったのではなく、主イエス・キリストにあって救いを得るようにお定めになったからです。
When God chose us, he did not plan for us to [be people whom he will severely] punish [MTY]. On the contrary, [he decided] that he would save us because of [our trusting in what] our Lord Jesus Christ [has done for us].
10 主が私たちのために死んでくださったのは、私たちが、目ざめていても、眠っていても、主とともに生きるためです。
Jesus died [to atone/pay] for our [sins] in order that we might be able to live together with him, whether we are alive [MET] or whether we are dead [EUP] [when he returns to earth].
11 ですから、あなたがたは、今しているとおり、互いに励まし合い、互いに徳を高め合いなさい。
Because [you know that this is true], continue to encourage/comfort each other, as indeed you now are doing.
12 兄弟たちよ。あなたがたにお願いします。あなたがたの間で労苦し、主にあってあなたがたを指導し、訓戒している人々を認めなさい。
My fellow believers, we [three] ask that you recognize/honor [as leaders] those people who work hard for you. [Specifically], respect those who lead you as fellow believers who (have a close relationship with/are united to) the Lord [Jesus]. They warn you [to stop doing what is wrong] (OR, they teach you [to do what is right]).
13 その務めのゆえに、愛をもって深い尊敬を払いなさい。お互いの間に平和を保ちなさい。
That is, we [ask that you] consider those leaders to be very important and that you love them, because they work [hard to help you]. We also urge you to live peacefully with each other.
14 兄弟たち。あなたがたに勧告します。気ままな者を戒め、小心な者を励まし、弱い者を助け、すべての人に対して寛容でありなさい。
My fellow believers, we urge that you warn [believers] who will not work [in order to] ([obtain/earn the money to buy]) [things that they need to live. Tell them that they are behaving wrongly]. We urge you that you encourage [believers] who are fearful (OR, discouraged), and that you help all people who are weak [in any way]. We also urge you to be patient with everyone.
15 だれも悪をもって悪に報いないように気をつけ、お互いの間で、またすべての人に対して、いつも善を行なうよう務めなさい。
Make sure that none [of you] does evil things to anyone [who has done] evil to you. On the contrary, you must always try to do good [things] for each other (OR, to fellow believers) and to everyone else.
16 いつも喜んでいなさい。
Be joyful (at all times/always),
17 絶えず祈りなさい。
pray continually,
18 すべての事について、感謝しなさい。これが、キリスト・イエスにあって神があなたがたに望んでおられることです。
and thank [God] (in all [circumstances/] [of what happens]). God wants you [to behave] like that [because of what] Christ Jesus [has done for you] (OR, because you have a close relationship with Christ Jesus).
19 御霊を消してはなりません。
Do not [refuse the urging from God’s] Spirit [when he is working] [MTY] [among you. That would be like] throwing water on [a fire] [MET]!
20 預言をないがしろにしてはいけません。
[Specifically], do not despise messages that the Holy Spirit reveals to someone, [and reject them automatically].
21 すべてのことを見分けて、ほんとうに良いものを堅く守りなさい。
On the contrary, evaluate all [such messages]. Accept the [messages that are truly from God, and obey them].
22 悪はどんな悪でも避けなさい。
Do not obey any kind of evil [message].
23 平和の神ご自身が、あなたがたを全くきよめてくださいますように。主イエス・キリストの来臨のとき、責められるところのないように、あなたがたの霊、たましい、からだが完全に守られますように。
[We pray to] God that he will change you to become more and more like his people should be. He is the one who causes [his people] to have [inner] peace. [That is, we pray] that he will help you so that in all that you think, in all that you desire, and in all that you do, you will be without fault. We ask him that he will keep doing that [until] our Lord Jesus Christ comes back [to earth].
24 あなたがたを召された方は真実ですから、きっとそのことをしてくださいます。
[Because God] has invited you [to be his people, you can] certainly trust him to keep on helping you to do that.
25 兄弟たち。私たちのためにも祈ってください。
My fellow believers, pray for me and for Silas and for Timothy.
26 すべての兄弟たちに、きよい口づけをもってあいさつをなさい。
[When you gather together as believers], greet each other affectionately, as fellow believers [should].
27 この手紙がすべての兄弟たちに読まれるように、主によって命じます。
Make certain that you read this letter to all the believers who may be absent when you read it at first, [knowing that] the Lord [Jesus wants you to do it].
28 私たちの主イエス・キリストの恵みが、あなたがたとともにありますように。
[I pray that] our Lord Jesus Christ [will continue to act] kindly toward you all.
