1 Thessalonians 4
1
Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus a that you should abound more and more, b 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 c the will of God, d your sanctification: e that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
4
f that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5
g not in passion of lust, h like the Gentiles i who do not know God;
6
that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord j is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.
7
For God did not call us to uncleanness, k but in holiness.
8
l Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, m who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
9
But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for n you yourselves are taught by God o to love one another;
10
and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, p that you increase more and more;
11
that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, q to mind your own business, and r to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
12
s that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
13
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow t as others u who have no hope.
14
For v if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him w those who sleep in Jesus.
15
For this we say to you x by the word of the Lord, that y we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16
For z the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with a the trumpet of God. b And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17
c Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them d in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus e we shall always be with the Lord.
18
f Therefore comfort one another with these words.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
-
Cross References
Philippians 1:27
Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.
Colossians 1:10
That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
-
Cross References
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
-
Cross References
Ephesians 5:27
That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 6:15 - 20
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!
Colossians 3:5
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
-
Cross References
Romans 6:19
I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
-
Cross References
Colossians 3:5
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
-
Cross References
Ephesians 4:17
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind.
Ephesians 4:18
Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 15:34
Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
-
Cross References
2 Thessalonians 1:8
In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-
Cross References
Leviticus 11:44
For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
1 Peter 1:14 - 16
As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance.
-
Cross References
Luke 10:16
"He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 2:10
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
-
Cross References
Jeremiah 31:33
But this is the covenant that I will make with ...
Jeremiah 31:34
"No more shall every man teach his neighbor, an...
John 6:45
It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall ...
John 15:12
This is My commandment, that you love one anoth...
John 15:17
These things I command you, that you love one a...
1 John 2:27
But the anointing which you have received from ...
-
Cross References
Matthew 22:39
"And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
-
Cross References
1 Thessalonians 3:12
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you.
-
Cross References
2 Thessalonians 3:11
For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
1 Peter 4:15
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.
-
Cross References
Acts 20:35
"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
-
Cross References
Romans 13:13
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
Colossians 4:5
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
1 Peter 2:12
Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
-
Cross References
Leviticus 19:28
You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.
-
Cross References
Ephesians 2:12
That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 15:13
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 15:20
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:23
But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.
-
Cross References
1 Kings 13:17
"For I have been told by the word of the LORD, 'You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.'"
1 Kings 20:35
Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the LORD, "Strike me, please." And the man refused to strike him.
2 Corinthians 12:1
It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:
Galatians 1:12
For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 15:51
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed -
1 Corinthians 15:52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 5:10
Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
-
Cross References
Matthew 24:30
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Matthew 24:31
And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 15:52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 15:23
But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:1
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you.
Revelation 14:13
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.
Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 15:51 - 53
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed -
1 Thessalonians 5:10
Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
-
Cross References
Daniel 7:13
I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
Acts 1:9
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
Revelation 11:12
And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
-
Cross References
John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
John 17:24
Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
-
Cross References
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.