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.

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would 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 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 this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain 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 honour;

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

Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which 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 go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that 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 hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

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

He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath 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 brotherly love ye need not that I 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,

And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase 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 own 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 them that are without, and that ye may have lack 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 I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which 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 which sleep 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 which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which 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 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 which 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.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.