^aFinally then, ^bbrothers and sisters, we request and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us as to how you ought to ^1cwalk and ^dplease God (just as you actually do ²walk), that you ^eexcel even more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you ¹by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you ^aabstain from sexual immorality; 4 that ^aeach of you know how to ¹possess his own ^2bvessel in sanctification and ^chonor, 5 not in ^1alustful passion, like the Gentiles who ^bdo not know God; 6 and that no one violate the rights and ^atake advantage of his brother or sister ^bin the matter, because ^cthe Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also ^dtold you previously and solemnly warned you. 7 For ^aGod has not called us for ^1bimpurity, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who ^agives His Holy Spirit to you.

9 Now as to the ^alove of the brothers and sisters, you ^bhave no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are ^ctaught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed ^ayou practice it toward all the brothers and sisters who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to ^bexcel even more, 11 and to make it your ambition ^ato lead a quiet life and ^battend to your own business and ^cwork with your hands, just as we instructed you, 12 so that you will ^1abehave properly toward ^boutsiders and ^2cnot be in any need.

13 But ^awe do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who ^1bare asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed ^cthe rest of mankind do, who have ^dno hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, ^aso also God will bring with Him ^bthose who have fallen asleep ¹through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you ^aby the word of the Lord, that ^bwe who are alive ¹and remain until ^cthe coming of the Lord will not precede ^dthose who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord ^aHimself ^bwill descend from heaven with a ^1cshout, with the voice of ^dthe archangel and with the ^etrumpet of God, and ^fthe dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then ^awe who are alive, who remain, will be ^bcaught up together with them ^cin the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always ^dbe with the Lord. 18 Therefore, ¹comfort one another with these words.

^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.

^aFinally then, ^bbrethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to ^1cwalk and ^dplease God (just as you actually do ²walk), that you ^eexcel still more. 2 For you know what commandments we gave you ¹by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you ^aabstain from ¹sexual immorality; 4 that ^aeach of you know how to ¹possess his own ^2bvessel in sanctification and ^chonor, 5 not in ^1alustful passion, like the Gentiles who ^bdo not know God; 6 and that no man transgress and ^adefraud his brother ^bin the matter because ^cthe Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also ^dtold you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For ^aGod has not called us for ^bthe purpose of impurity, but ¹in sanctification. 8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who ^agives His Holy Spirit to you.

9 Now as to the ^alove of the brethren, you ^bhave no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are ^ctaught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed ^ayou do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to ^bexcel still more, 11 and to make it your ambition ^ato lead a quiet life and ^battend to your own business and ^cwork with your hands, just as we commanded you, 12 so that you will ^1abehave properly toward ^boutsiders and ^2cnot be in any need.

13 But ^awe do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who ^bare asleep, so that you will not grieve as do ^cthe rest who have ^dno hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, ^aeven so God will bring with Him ^bthose who have fallen asleep ¹in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you ^aby the word of the Lord, that ^bwe who are alive ¹and remain until ^cthe coming of the Lord, will not precede ^dthose who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord ^aHimself ^bwill descend from heaven with a ^1cshout, with the voice of ^dthe archangel and with the ^etrumpet of God, and ^fthe dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then ^awe who are alive ¹and remain will be ^bcaught up together with them ^cin the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always ^dbe with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.