1 F inally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk, --that ye abound more and more.

2 F or you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

3 F or this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication;

4 t hat each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

5 n ot in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who know not God;

6 a nd that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

7 F or God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

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

8 S o, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.

9 N ow as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;

10 f or indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,

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

11 a nd to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,

and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you;

12 s o that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need. Those Who Died in Christ

that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.

13 B ut we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.

14 F or if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 F or this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.

16 F or the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;

17 T hen we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 T herefore comfort one another with these words.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.