The First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

And furthermore we beseeche you, brethren, and exhort you in the Lord Iesus, that ye increase more and more, as ye haue receiued of vs, how ye ought to walke, and to please God.

For ye knowe what commandements we gaue you by the Lord Iesus.

For this is the will of God euen your sanctification, and that ye should abstaine from fornication,

That euery one of you should know, how to possesse his vessell in holines and honour,

And not in the lust of concupiscence, euen as the Gentiles which know not God:

That no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter: for the Lord is auenger of all such thinges, as we also haue tolde you before time, and testified.

For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse, but vnto holinesse.

Hee therefore that despiseth these thinges, despiseth not man, but God who hath euen giuen you his holy Spirit.

But as touching brotherly loue, ye neede not that I write vnto you: for ye are taught of God to loue one another.

Yea, and that thing verily yee doe vnto all the brethren, which are throughout all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more,

And that ye studie to be quiet, and to meddle with your owne busines, and to worke with your owne handes, as we commanded you,

That yee may behaue your selues honestly towarde them that are without, and that nothing be lacking vnto you.

The Return of the Lord

I would not, brethren, haue you ignorant concerning them which are a sleepe, that ye sorow not euen as other which haue no hope.

For if we beleeue that Iesus is dead, and is risen, euen so them which sleepe in Iesus, will God bring with him.

For this say we vnto you by the worde of the Lord, that we which liue, and are remayning in the comming of the Lord, shall not preuent them which sleepe.

For the Lord himselfe shall descende from heauen with a shoute, and with the voyce of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then shall we which liue and remaine, be caught vp with them also in the clouds, to meete the Lord in the ayre: and so shall we euer be with the Lord.

Wherefore, comfort your selues one another with these wordes.

Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,

that each one of you know how to control his own body

(a)

in sanctification and honor,

not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God,

that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.

But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;

and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you,

that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.

The Return of the Lord

But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first,

then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.

Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Footnotes

(a)4:4 literally, possess his own vessel