Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. | Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. |
Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do. | So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. |
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He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it. | God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. |
Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil. | But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. |
See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all. | See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. |
May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, even as we also do toward you. | And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. |
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. | For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. |
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. | For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. |
So then let’s not sleep, as the rest do, but let’s watch and be sober. | So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. |
For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each one of you know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor, not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God. | God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. |