For we know, brothers whom God so loves, that he has chosen you,

and to wait for the coming from heaven of his Son, whom he raised from the dead??esus, our deliverer from God's coming wrath.

God has thought us fit to be intrusted with the good news, and so we tell it, making no effort to please men, but to please God, who tests our hearts.

You will testify, and God will, how pure and upright and irreproachable our relations were with you who believed.

to make your lives worthy of God who invites you into his kingdom and his glory.

who killed the Lord Jesus and persecuted the prophets and us; who displease God, and in their hostility to all mankind

not to gratify his passion, like the heathen who know nothing of God.

So whoever disregards this is not disregarding man, but God, who gives you his holy Spirit.

We do not want you to be under any misapprehension, brothers, about those who are falling asleep. You must not grieve for them, as others do who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then by means of Jesus God will bring back with him those who have fallen asleep.

For we can assure you, on the Lord's own authority, that those of us who will still be living when the Lord comes will have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself, at the summons, when the archangel calls and God's trumpet sounds, will come down from heaven, and first those who died in union with Christ will rise;

then those of us who are still living will be caught up with them on clouds into the air to meet the Lord, and so we shall be with the Lord forever.

For those who sleep sleep at night and those who get drunk do so at night,

but we who belong to the day must be composed, wearing faith and love for a coat of mail, and helmeted with the hope of salvation.

who died for us so that whether we are still alive or fall asleep we may live with him.

We beg you, brothers, to respect those who work with you and who lead you in the service of the Lord, and teach you.

He who calls you can be relied on, and he will do this.