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1 Thessalonians 3-5
New King James Version
1 Thessalonians 3-5
New King James Version
Concern for Their Faith
3 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent (A)Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 (B)that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that (C)we are appointed to this. 4 (D)For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, (E)lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and (F)our labor might be in vain.
Encouraged by Timothy
6 (G)But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, (H)as we also to see you— 7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress (I)we were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For now we live, if you (J)stand fast in the Lord.
9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face (K)and perfect what is lacking in your faith?
Prayer for the Church
11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, (L)direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and (M)abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish (N)your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
Plea for Purity
4 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus (O)that you should abound more and more, (P)just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is (Q)the will of God, (R)your sanctification: (S)that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 (T)that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 (U)not in passion of lust, (V)like the Gentiles (W)who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord (X)is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, (Y)but in holiness. 8 (Z)Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, (AA)who[a] has also given us His Holy Spirit.
A Brotherly and Orderly Life
9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for (AB)you yourselves are taught by God (AC)to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, (AD)that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, (AE)to mind your own business, and (AF)to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 (AG)that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
The Comfort of Christ’s Coming
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen [b]asleep, lest you sorrow (AH)as others (AI)who have no hope. 14 For (AJ)if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him (AK)those who [c]sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you (AL)by the word of the Lord, that (AM)we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are [d]asleep. 16 For (AN)the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with (AO)the trumpet of God. (AP)And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 (AQ)Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (AR)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus (AS)we shall always be with the Lord. 18 (AT)Therefore comfort one another with these words.
The Day of the Lord
5 But concerning (AU)the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that (AV)the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then (AW)sudden destruction comes upon them, (AX)as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 (AY)But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all (AZ)sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 (BA)Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but (BB)let us watch and be [e]sober. 7 For (BC)those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk (BD)are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, (BE)putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For (BF)God did not appoint us to wrath, (BG)but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 (BH)who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11 Therefore [f]comfort each other and [g]edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Various Exhortations
12 And we urge you, brethren, (BI)to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and [h]admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. (BJ)Be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we [i]exhort you, brethren, (BK)warn those who are [j]unruly, (BL)comfort the fainthearted, (BM)uphold the weak, (BN)be patient with all. 15 (BO)See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always (BP)pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16 (BQ)Rejoice always, 17 (BR)pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 (BS)Do not quench the Spirit. 20 (BT)Do not despise prophecies. 21 (BU)Test all things; (BV)hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
Blessing and Admonition
23 Now may (BW)the God of peace Himself (BX)sanctify[k] you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body (BY)be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is (BZ)faithful, who also will (CA)do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this [l]epistle be read to all the [m]holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 4:8 NU who also gives
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13 Died
- 1 Thessalonians 4:14 Or through Jesus sleep
- 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Dead
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6 self-controlled
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Or encourage
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 build one another up
- 1 Thessalonians 5:12 instruct or warn
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14 encourage
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14 insubordinate or idle
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 set you apart
- 1 Thessalonians 5:27 letter
- 1 Thessalonians 5:27 NU omits holy
1 Thessalonians 3-5
New International Version
1 Thessalonians 3-5
New International Version
3 So when we could stand it no longer,(A) we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.(B) 2 We sent Timothy,(C) who is our brother and co-worker(D) in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ,(E) to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.(F) For you know quite well that we are destined for them.(G) 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.(H) 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer,(I) I sent to find out about your faith.(J) I was afraid that in some way the tempter(K) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.(L)
Timothy’s Encouraging Report
6 But Timothy(M) has just now come to us from you(N) and has brought good news about your faith and love.(O) He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.(P) 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm(Q) in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you(R) in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?(S) 10 Night and day we pray(T) most earnestly that we may see you again(U) and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father(V) himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other(W) and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless(X) and holy in the presence of our God and Father(Y) when our Lord Jesus comes(Z) with all his holy ones.(AA)
Living to Please God
4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,(AB) we instructed you how to live(AC) in order to please God,(AD) as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 It is God’s will(AE) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;(AF) 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a](AG) in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust(AH) like the pagans,(AI) who do not know God;(AJ) 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.[b](AK) The Lord will punish(AL) all those who commit such sins,(AM) as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.(AN) 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.(AO)
9 Now about your love for one another(AP) we do not need to write to you,(AQ) for you yourselves have been taught by God(AR) to love each other.(AS) 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.(AT) Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,(AU) 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,(AV) just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders(AW) and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Believers Who Have Died
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed(AX) about those who sleep in death,(AY) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.(AZ) 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,(BA) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.(BB) 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,(BC) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.(BD) 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,(BE) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel(BF) and with the trumpet call of God,(BG) and the dead in Christ will rise first.(BH) 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left(BI) will be caught up together with them in the clouds(BJ) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord(BK) forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another(BL) with these words.
The Day of the Lord
5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates(BM) we do not need to write to you,(BN) 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord(BO) will come like a thief in the night.(BP) 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”(BQ) destruction will come on them suddenly,(BR) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.(BS)
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness(BT) so that this day should surprise you like a thief.(BU) 5 You are all children of the light(BV) and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep,(BW) but let us be awake(BX) and sober.(BY) 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.(BZ) 8 But since we belong to the day,(CA) let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate,(CB) and the hope of salvation(CC) as a helmet.(CD) 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath(CE) but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.(CF) 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.(CG) 11 Therefore encourage one another(CH) and build each other up,(CI) just as in fact you are doing.
Final Instructions
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard(CJ) among you, who care for you in the Lord(CK) and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.(CL) 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle(CM) and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak,(CN) be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,(CO) but always strive to do what is good for each other(CP) and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always,(CQ) 17 pray continually,(CR) 18 give thanks in all circumstances;(CS) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.(CT) 20 Do not treat prophecies(CU) with contempt 21 but test them all;(CV) hold on to what is good,(CW) 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace,(CX) sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul(CY) and body be kept blameless(CZ) at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.(DA) 24 The one who calls(DB) you is faithful,(DC) and he will do it.(DD)
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.(DE) 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.(DF) 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.(DG)
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.(DH)
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or learn to live with your own wife; or learn to acquire a wife
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.