1 Thessalonians 5

Be Ready for the Day of the Lord

1 Brothers and sisters, you don’t need anyone to write to you about times and dates.2 You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.3 When people say, “Everything is safe and sound!” destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won’t be able to escape.4 But, brothers and sisters, you don’t live in the dark. That day won’t take you by surprise as a thief would.5 You belong to the day and the light not to the night and the dark.6 Therefore, we must not fall asleep like other people, but we must stay awake and be sober.7 People who sleep, sleep at night; people who get drunk, get drunk at night.8 Since we belong to the day, we must be sober. We must put on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet.9 It was not God’s intention that we experience his anger but that we obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake in this life or asleep in death, we will live together with him.

11 Therefore, encourage each other and strengthen one another as you are doing.

Paul Encourages the Thessalonians

12 Brothers and sisters, we ask you to show your appreciation for those leaders who work among you and instruct you.

13 We ask you to love them and think very highly of them because of the work they are doing. Live in peace with each other.
14 We encourage you, brothers and sisters, to instruct those who are not living right, cheer up those who are discouraged, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

15 Make sure that no one ever pays back one wrong with another wrong. Instead, always try to do what is good for each other and everyone else.
16 Always be joyful.17 Never stop praying.

18 Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this.
19 Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire.20 Don’t despise what God has revealed.21 Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good.

22 Keep away from every kind of evil.

Farewell

23 May the God who gives peace make you holy in every way. May he keep your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes.

24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.27 In the Lord’s name, I order you to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.28 The good willt of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

1 Thessalonians 5

The Day of the Lord

1 Now on the topic of times and seasons,t brothers and sisters,t you have no need for anything to be written to you.2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lords will come in the same way as a thief in the night.s3 Now whens they are saying, “There is peace and security,”t then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor painst on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape.4 But you, brothers and sisters,t are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would.5 For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness.6 So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober.7 For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night.8 But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplates of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation.t9 For God did not destine us for wraths but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.10 He diedt for us so that whether we are alert or asleeps we will come to life together with him.

11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.

Final Instructions

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters,t to acknowledge those who labor among you and preside over you in the Lord and admonish you,13 and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters,t admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.15 See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.16 Always rejoice,17 constantly pray,18 in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.19 Do not extinguish the Spirit.20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt.21 But examine all things; hold fast to what is good.

22 Stay away from every form of evil.

Conclusion

23 Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.24 He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this.t25 Brothers and sisters,t pray for us too.26 Greet all the brothers and sisterst with a holy kiss.27 I call on you solemnly in the Lordt to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.st

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.s