1 Thessalonians 4

Sanctification and Love

1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do twalk), that you excel still more.2 For you know what commandments we gave you tby the authority of the Lord Jesus.3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;4 that each of you know how to possess his own tvessel in sanctification and honor,5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;6  and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

Those Who Died in Christ

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5

The Day of the Lord

1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and tsober.7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.8 But since we are of the day, let us be tsober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Christian Conduct

12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction,13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.16 Rejoice always;17 pray without ceasing;18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.19 Do not quench the Spirit;20 do not despise prophetic tutterances.21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;22 abstain from every tform of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

25 Brethren, pray for ust.

26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.27 I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

2 Thessalonians 1

Thanksgiving for Faith and Perseverance

1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.5  This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-for our testimony to you was believed.11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.