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.

¶ It is in order then, brethren, that we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that in the manner ye were taught of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would continue to grow.

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

For ye already know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

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

For the will of God is your sanctification, that ye should separate yourselves from fornication,

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

that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honesty,

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

not with affection of lust, as the Gentiles who do not know 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 one oppress and defraud his brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

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

For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification.

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

He therefore that despises us, does not despise man, but God, who has also given unto us his Holy Spirit.

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 as touching love among the brethren, ye need not that I write unto you, for ye yourselves have learned of God that ye are to show charity to 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,

And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia, but we beseech you, brethren, that ye continue to grow

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 procure to be quiet and to do your business and to work with your hands, as we commanded 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 honestly toward those that are without, and that ye may desire nothing from any one.

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 I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as the others 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 those who sleep in Jesus will God also 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 who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who are 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 trumpet 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 who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them 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.

Therefore comfort one another with these words.