1 B ut as to the suitable times and the precise seasons and dates, brethren, you have no necessity for anything being written to you.

And concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need of my writing to you,

2 F or you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.

for yourselves have known thoroughly that the day of the Lord as a thief in the night doth so come,

3 W hen people are saying, All is well and secure, and, There is peace and safety, then in a moment unforeseen destruction (ruin and death) will come upon them as suddenly as labor pains come upon a woman with child; and they shall by no means escape, for there will be no escape.

for when they may say, Peace and surety, then sudden destruction doth stand by them, as the travail her who is with child, and they shall not escape;

4 B ut you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to overtake you by surprise like a thief.

and ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day may catch you as a thief;

5 F or you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we do not belong either to the night or to darkness.

all ye are sons of light, and sons of day; we are not of night, nor of darkness,

6 A ccordingly then, let us not sleep, as the rest do, but let us keep wide awake (alert, watchful, cautious, and on our guard) and let us be sober (calm, collected, and circumspect).

so, then, we may not sleep as also the others, but watch and be sober,

7 F or those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night.

for those sleeping, by night do sleep, and those making themselves drunk, by night are drunken,

8 B ut we belong to the day; therefore, let us be sober and put on the breastplate (corslet) of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

and we, being of the day -- let us be sober, putting on a breastplate of faith and love, and an helmet -- a hope of salvation,

9 F or God has not appointed us to wrath, but obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)

because God did not appoint us to anger, but to the acquiring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

10 W ho died for us so that whether we are still alive or are dead, we might live together with Him and share His life.

who did die for us, that whether we wake -- whether we sleep -- together with him we may live;

11 T herefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.

wherefore, comfort ye one another, and build ye up, one the one, as also ye do.

12 N ow also we beseech you, brethren, get to know those who labor among you —your leaders who are over you in the Lord and those who warn and kindly reprove and exhort you.

And we ask you, brethren, to know those labouring among you, and leading you in the Lord, and admonishing you,

13 A nd hold them in very high and most affectionate esteem in appreciation of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

and to esteem them very abundantly in love, because of their work; be at peace among yourselves;

14 A nd we earnestly beseech you, brethren, admonish (warn and seriously advise) those who are out of line; encourage the timid and fainthearted, help and give your support to the weak souls, be very patient with everybody.

and we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the infirm, be patient unto all;

15 S ee that none of you repays another with evil for evil, but always aim to show kindness and seek to do good to one another and to everybody.

see no one evil for evil may render to any one, but always that which is good pursue ye, both to one another and to all;

16 B e happy and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always);

always rejoice ye;

17 B e unceasing in prayer;

continually pray ye;

18 T hank in everything, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

in every thing give thanks, for this the will of God in Christ Jesus in regard to you.

19 D o not quench (suppress or subdue) the Spirit;

The Spirit quench not;

20 D o not spurn the gifts and utterances of the prophets.

prophesyings despise not;

21 B ut test and prove all things what is good; hold fast.

all things prove; that which is good hold fast;

22 A bstain from evil in whatever form or whatever kind it may be.

from all appearance of evil abstain ye;

23 A nd may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

and the God of the peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved unblameably in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ;

24 F aithful is He Who is calling you and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it.

stedfast is He who is calling you, who also will do.

25 B rethren, pray for us.

Brethren, pray for us;

26 G reet all the brethren with a sacred kiss.

salute all the brethren in an holy kiss;

27 I solemnly charge you the Lord to have this letter read before all the brethren.

I charge you the Lord, that the letter be read to all the holy brethren;

28 T he grace (the unmerited favor and blessings) of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) be with you all. Amen, (so be it).

the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with you! Amen.