^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.