I Thessalonians
Chapter 4
Vs. 1 Paul tells the group of believers —- we have preached to you as speakers for God, that you walk in a way that pleases God, so that you will grow in spirit.
Vs. 2 You know what commandments we preached to you.
Vs. 3 The will of God is that you keep yourself from fornication–having sex with someone you are not married to (meaning man and woman as husband and wife).
This commandment (rule from God) is so you will keep your spirit pure and clean.
(Sexual sins are sin. Sin destroys. Sin comes between you and God. Sin will block your relationship with God. Sin will take you far away from God.)
Vs. 4 Each person should know how to have control of themselves and their emotions and actions so you can stay spiritually clean and pure.
Vs. 5 Do not give in to lust and passion like those who do not know God.
Vs. 6 Do not cheat your brother in any thing (and not in taking his wife.) The Lord will pay you back for all such sins. We have warned you about this before.
Vs. 7 God has not called us to be unholy and sinful. He has called us to walk in holy ways and not to sin.
Vs. 8 Any one who does not like these rules he shows himself to be against God these are God’s rules.
If you will not obey these rules you are sinning against God, and the Holy Spirit in you that comes from God.
Vs. 9 I do not need to tell you this because you know that God tells us to love our brother.
Vs. 10 You have done this and have shown love to the Christian brothers of Macedonia, I encourage you to keep on and do more.
Vs. 11 You need to make it your goal to live a quiet life, mind your own business, do your own work with your own hands. We told you this before.
Vs. 12 In this way, you will be a good example to people who are not Christians. Your own work will make you able to take care of your own needs.
Vs. 13 I do not want you to be without understanding about those believers in Jesus who are already dead. Do not have sorrow and be sad as those who have no hope.
Vs. 14 We believe that Jesus died then rose up from the dead (came alive again), so we believe that those who believed in Jesus will come alive again and rise up, God will bring them up to himself.
Vs. 15. We tell you this and it is the word of the Lord that we who are still living when Jesus returns in the clouds will not leave behind those believers who are already dead.
Vs. 16 The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout with the voice of an archangel and with the blowing of the trump (trumpet, horn) of God The dead in Christ will rise up first.
Vs. 17 They we that are still living will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be forever with the Lord.
Vs. 18 Let these words be a comfort to you and tell others to comfort them.