Sanctification and Love

1Finally then, brothers, we ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us as to how you ought to [†]walk and please God (just as you actually do [†]walk), that you excel still more. 2For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from [†]sexual immorality; 4that each of you know how to [†]possess his own [†]vessel in sanctification and honor, 5not in [†]lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 7For God did not call us to impurity, but [†]in sanctification. 8Consequently, he who sets this aside is not setting aside man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

9Now concerning love of the brothers, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, 10for indeed you do practice it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel still more, 11and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, 12so that you will walk properly toward outsiders and [†]not be in any need.

The Dead in Christ Will Rise

13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [†]in Jesus. 15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [†]and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a [†]shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive [†]and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18Therefore comfort one another with these words.