^aFinally, ^bbelievers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to ^cwalk and ^dplease God (just as you are actually doing) and that you ^eexcel even more and more pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation. 2 For you know what commandments and precepts we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, that you be sanctified separated and set apart from sin: that you ^aabstain and back away from sexual immorality; 4 that ^aeach of you know how to control his own ^bbody in holiness and ^chonor being available for God’s purpose and separated from things profane, 5 not to be used in ^alustful passion, like the Gentiles who ^bdo not know God and are ignorant of His will; 6 and that ^ain this matter of sexual misconduct no man shall transgress and ^bdefraud his brother because ^cthe Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we have told you before and ^dsolemnly warned you. 7 For ^aGod has not called us to ^bimpurity, but to holiness to be dedicated, and set apart by behavior that pleases Him, whether in public or in private. 8 So whoever rejects and disregards this is not merely rejecting man but the God who ^agives His Holy Spirit to you to dwell in you and empower you to overcome temptation.

9 Now concerning ^abrotherly love, you ^bhave no need for anyone to write you, for you have been personally ^ctaught by God to love one another that is, to have an unselfish concern for others and to do things for their benefit. Lev 19:18; John 13:34 10 For indeed ^ayou already do practice it toward all the ¹believers throughout Macedonia by actively displaying your love and concern for them. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, that you ^bexcel in this matter more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition ^ato live quietly and peacefully, and to ^bmind your own affairs and ^cwork with your hands, just as we directed you, 12 so that you will ^abehave properly toward ^boutsiders exhibiting good character, personal integrity, and moral courage worthy of the respect of the outside world, and ^cbe dependent on no one and in need of nothing be self-supporting.

13 Now ^awe do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who ^bare asleep in death, so that you will not grieve for them as the ^cothers do who have ^dno hope beyond this present life. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again as in fact He did, ^aeven so God in this same way—by raising them from the dead will bring with Him ^bthose believers who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For we say this to you ^aby the Lord’s own word, that ^bwe who are still alive and remain until ^cthe coming of the Lord, will in no way precede into His presence ^dthose believers who have fallen asleep in death. 16 For the Lord ^aHimself ^bwill come down from heaven with a ^cshout of command, with the voice of ^dthe ¹archangel and with the blast of the ^etrumpet of God, and ^fthe dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then ^awe who are alive and remain on the earth will simultaneously be ^bcaught up (raptured) together with them the resurrected ones ^cin the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always ^dbe with the Lord! John 14:3; 1+@Cor 15:52; 2+@Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23; Col 3:4 18 Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words concerning our reunion with believers who have died.