帖撒罗尼迦前书 4
上帝所悦纳的生活
1 末了，弟兄们，我们靠着主耶稣求你们，劝你们，既然你们领受了我们的教导，知道该怎样行事为人，讨上帝的喜悦，其实你们也正这样行，我劝你们要更加努力。 2 你们原知道，我们凭主耶稣传给你们什么命令。 3 上帝的旨意就是要你们成为圣洁，远避淫行； 4 要你们各人知道怎样用圣洁、尊贵控制自己的身体 t， 5 不放纵私欲的邪情，像不认识上帝的外邦人。 6 不准有人在这事上越轨，占他弟兄的便宜；因为这一类的事，主必报应，正如我预先对你们说过，又切切警告过你们的。 7 上帝召我们本不是要我们沾染污秽，而是要我们圣洁。 8 所以，那弃绝这教导的不是弃绝人，而是弃绝那把自己的圣灵赐给你们的上帝。
9 有关弟兄间的手足之情，不用人写信给你们，因为你们自己蒙了上帝的教导要彼此相爱。 10 你们向全马其顿的众弟兄固然是这样行，但我劝弟兄们要更加努力。 11 要立志过安静的生活，管自己的事，亲手t做工，正如我们从前吩咐你们的， 12 好使你们的行为能得外人的尊敬，同时也不依赖任何人。
主的再临
13 弟兄们，至于已睡了的人，我们不愿意你们不知道，恐怕你们忧伤，像那些没有指望的人一样。 14 既然我们信耶稣死了，复活了，那些已经在耶稣里睡了的人，上帝也必将他们与耶稣一同带来。
15 我们照主的话告诉你们一件事：我们这活着还存留到主来临的人，绝不会在那已经睡了的人之先。 16 因为，召集令一发，天使长的呼声一叫，上帝的号角一吹，主必亲自从天降临；那在基督里死了的人必先复活， 17 然后我们这些活着还存留的人必和他们一同被提到云里，在空中与主相会。这样，我们就要和主永远同在。 18 所以，你们当用这些话彼此劝勉。
1 THESSALONIANS 4
A Life That Pleases God
1 Finally, my dear friends, since you belong to the Lord Jesus, we beg and urge you to live as we taught you. Then you will please God. You are already living that way, but try even harder. 2 Remember the instructions we gave you as followers of the Lord Jesus. 3 God wants you to be holy, so don't be immoral in matters of sex. 4 Respect and honor your wife.t 5 Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God. 6 You must not cheat any of the Lord's followers in matters of sex.t Remember, we warned you that he punishes everyone who does such things. 7 God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure.
8 So if you don't obey these rules, you are not really disobeying us. Instead, you are disobeying God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 We don't have to write you about the need to love each other. God has taught you to do this, 10 and you already have shown your love for all his people in Macedonia. But, my dear friends, we ask you to do even more. 11 Try your best to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work hard, just as we taught you to do.
12 t Then you will be respected by people who are not followers of the Lord, and you won't have to depend on anyone.The Lord's Coming
13 My friends, we want you to understand how it will be for those followers who have already died. Then you won't grieve over them and be like people who don't have any hope. 14 We believe Jesus died and was raised to life. We also believe that when God brings Jesus back again, he will bring with him all who had faith in Jesus before they died.
15 t t Our Lord Jesus told us that when he comes, we won't go up to meet him ahead of his followers who have already died.
16 t With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God's trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. 17 Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. From that time on we will all be with the Lord forever. 18 Encourage each other with these words.