Sanctification and Love
1 (A)Finally then, (B)brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to (a)(C)walk and (D)please God (just as you actually do (b)walk), that you (E)excel still more.
2 For you know what commandments we gave you (c)by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you (F)abstain from (d)sexual immorality;
4 that (G)each of you know how to (e)possess his own (f)(H)vessel in sanctification and (I)honor,
5 not in (g)(J)lustful passion, like the Gentiles who (K)do not know God;
6 and that no man transgress and (L)defraud his brother (M)in the matter because (N)the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also (O)told you before and solemnly warned you.
7 For (P)God has not called us for (Q)the purpose of impurity, but (h)in sanctification.
8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who (R)gives His Holy Spirit to you.
9 Now as to the (S)love of the brethren, you (T)have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are (U)taught by God to love one another;
10 for indeed (V)you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to (W)excel still more,
11 and to make it your ambition (X)to lead a quiet life and (Y)attend to your own business and (Z)work with your hands, just as we commanded you,
12 so that you will (i)(AA)behave properly toward (AB)outsiders and (j)(AC)not be in any need.
Those Who Died in Christ
13 But (AD)we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who (AE)are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do (AF)the rest who have (AG)no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, (AH)even so God will bring with Him (AI)those who have fallen asleep (k)in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you (AJ)by the word of the Lord, that (AK)we who are alive (l)and remain until (AL)the coming of the Lord, will not precede (AM)those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord (AN)Himself (AO)will descend from heaven with a (m)(AP)shout, with the voice of (AQ)the archangel and with the (AR)trumpet of God, and (AS)the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then (AT)we who are alive (n)and remain will be (AU)caught up together with them (AV)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always (AW)be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Footnotes:
a.
1 Thessalonians 4:1: ['Or ', conduct yourselves]
b.
1 Thessalonians 4:1: ['Or ', conduct yourselves]
c.
1 Thessalonians 4:2: ['Lit ', through the Lord]
d.
1 Thessalonians 4:3: ['Or ', fornication]
e.
1 Thessalonians 4:4: ['Or ', acquire]
f.
1 Thessalonians 4:4: ['I.e. body; or wife']
g.
1 Thessalonians 4:5: ['Lit ', passion of lust]
h.
1 Thessalonians 4:7: ['I.e. in the state or sphere of']
i.
1 Thessalonians 4:12: ['Lit ', walk]
j.
1 Thessalonians 4:12: ['Lit ', have need of nothing]
k.
1 Thessalonians 4:14: ['Lit ', through]
l.
1 Thessalonians 4:15: ['Lit ', who]
m.
1 Thessalonians 4:16: ['Or ', cry of command]
n.
1 Thessalonians 4:17: ['Lit ', who]