1 A2 Cor 13:11; 2 Thess 3:1Finally then, BGal 6:1; 1 Thess 5:12; 2 Thess 1:3; 2:1; 3:1, 13brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to 1Or conduct yourselvesCEph 4:1walk and D2 Cor 5:9please God (just as you actually do 1Or conduct yourselveswalk), that you EPhil 1:9; 1 Thess 3:12; 4:10; 2 Thess 1:3excel still more. 2 For you know what commandments we gave you 1Lit through the Lordby the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you A1 Cor 6:18abstain from 1Or fornicationsexual immorality; 4 that A1 Cor 7:2, 9each of you know how to 1Or acquirepossess his own 2I.e. body; or wifeB2 Cor 4:7; 1 Pet 3:7vessel in sanctification and CRom 1:24honor, 5 not in 1Lit passion of lustARom 1:26lustful passion, like the Gentiles who BGal 4:8do not know God; 6 and that no man transgress and A1 Cor 6:8defraud his brother B2 Cor 7:11in the matter because CRom 12:19; 13:4; Heb 13:4the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also DLuke 16:28; 1 Thess 2:11; Heb 2:6told you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For A1 Pet 1:15God has not called us for B1 Thess 2:3the purpose of impurity, but 1I.e. in the state or sphere ofin sanctification. 8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who ARom 5:5; 2 Cor 1:22; Gal 4:6; 1 John 3:24gives His Holy Spirit to you.

9 Now as to the AJohn 13:34; Rom 12:10love of the brethren, you B2 Cor 9:1; 1 Thess 5:1have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are CJer 31:33f; John 6:45; 1 John 2:27taught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed A1 Thess 1:7you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to B1 Thess 3:12excel still more, 11 and to make it your ambition A2 Thess 3:12to lead a quiet life and B1 Pet 4:15attend to your own business and CActs 18:3; Eph 4:28; 2 Thess 3:10-12work with your hands, just as we commanded you, 12 so that you will 1Lit walkARom 13:13; Col 4:5behave properly toward BMark 4:11outsiders and 2Lit have need of nothingCEph 4:28not be in any need.

13 But ARom 1:13we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who BActs 7:60are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do CEph 2:3; 1 Thess 5:6the rest who have DEph 2:12no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, ARom 14:9; 2 Cor 4:14even so God will bring with Him B1 Cor 15:18; 1 Thess 4:13those who have fallen asleep 1Lit throughin Jesus. 15 For this we say to you A1 Kin 13:17f; 20:35; 2 Cor 12:1; Gal 1:12by the word of the Lord, that B1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 5:10we who are alive 1Lit whoand remain until C1 Thess 2:19the coming of the Lord, will not precede D1 Cor 15:18; 1 Thess 4:13those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord A1 Thess 3:11Himself B1 Thess 1:10; 2 Thess 1:7will descend from heaven with a 1Or cry of commandCJoel 2:11shout, with the voice of DJude 9the archangel and with the EMatt 24:31trumpet of God, and F1 Cor 15:23; 2 Thess 2:1; Rev 14:13the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then A1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 5:10we who are alive 1Lit whoand remain will be B2 Cor 12:2caught up together with them CDan 7:13; Acts 1:9; Rev 11:12in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always DJohn 12:26be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.