[[1 Thessalonians 3|<< 1 Thessalonians 3]] | [[1 Thessalonians|1 Thessalonians]] | [[1 Thessalonians 5|1 Thessalonians 5 >>]] ### 1 Thessalonians 4 1 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. ^1 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. ^2 3 For this is the will of God, _even_ your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: ^3 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; ^4 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: ^5 6 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. ^6 7 For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. ^7 8 He therefore that despises, despises not man, but God, who has also given unto us his holy Spirit. ^8 9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. ^9 10 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; ^10 11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; ^11 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and _that_ ye may have lack of nothing. ^12 13 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. ^13 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ^14 15 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. ^15 16 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: ^16 17 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. ^17 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. ^18