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Chapter 3
1So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.
2We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow workerSome manuscripts brother and fellow worker; other manuscripts brother and God's servant in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
3so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.
4In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.
5For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.
Timothy's Encouraging Report
6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.
7Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.
8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?
10Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.
12May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
13May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
Chapter 4
Living to Please God
1Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
2For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
4that each of you should learn to control his own bodyOr learn to live with his own wife; or learn to acquire a wife in a way that is holy and honorable,
5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;
6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.
7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
8Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
10And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.
11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you,
12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
The Coming of the Lord
13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Chapter 5
1Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
2for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
5You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
6So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self–controlled.
7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
8But since we belong to the day, let us be self–controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
9For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
10He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Final Instructions
12Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.
13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
16Be joyful always;
17pray continually;
18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
19Do not put out the Spirit's fire;
20do not treat prophecies with contempt.
21Test everything. Hold on to the good.
22Avoid every kind of evil.
23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
25Brothers, pray for us.
26Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
27I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

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