Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk,— that ye abound more and more.
For ye know what {Greek: charges.}charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication;
that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who know not God;
that no man {Or, overreach}transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we {Or, told you plainly}forewarned you and testified.
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.
But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;
for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more;
and that ye {Greek: be ambitious. See Romans 15:20 margin.}study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you;
that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.
But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep {Greek: through. Or, will God through Jesus}in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the {Or, presence}coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore {Or, exhort chapter 5:11.}comfort one another with these words.
Querverweise zu 1. Thessalonicher 4,1 1Thes 4,1
as ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying,
For ye know what {Greek: charges.}charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
and that ye {Greek: be ambitious. See Romans 15:20 margin.}study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you;
to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who {Some ancient authorities read called.}calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.
and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more;
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, {Greek: well-pleasing.}acceptable to God, which is your {Greek: belonging to the reason.}spiritual {Or, worship}service.
But ye did not so learn Christ;
that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.
And be not fashioned according to this {Or, age}world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is {Or, the will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect}the good and {Greek: well-pleasing.}acceptable and perfect will of God.
Yet shall the righteous hold on his way,And he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.
And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain
Now we beseech you, brethren, {Greek: in behalf of.}touching the {Greek: presence.}coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;
For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.
Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age;They shall be full of sap and green:
Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you:
I charge thee in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without {Or, preferences}prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.
For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was {Or, delivered up}betrayed took bread;
to walk worthily of the Lord {Or, unto all pleasing, in every good work, bearing fruit and increasing &c.}unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing {Or, by}in the knowledge of God;
But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light,That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called,
I charge thee in the sight of God, who {Or, preserveth all things alive}giveth life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession;
Now I make known unto you brethren, the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel which I {See marginal note on chapter 1:17.}preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,
and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit.
yet for love's sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul {Or, an ambassador, and now & c.}the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:
that thou keep the commandment, without spot, without reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Only {Greek: behave as citizens worthily. Compare chapter 3:20.}let your manner of life be worthy of the {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on chapter 1:5.}gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving {Greek: with.}for the faith of the {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on chapter 1:5.}gospel;
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not {Or, void}vain in the Lord.
I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, {The Greek word means Helpful. Compare verse 20 margin.}Onesimus,
{Or, I testify, in the sight…dead, both of his appearing &c.}I charge thee in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;
But I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation: for I have written unto you in few words.
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.
For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies.
Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the {Or, upward}high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
We are bound to give thanks to God always to you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith growth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth;
Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;
and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control {Or, stedfastness}patience; and in your {Or, stedfastness}patience godliness;
and in your godliness {Greek: love of the brethren.}brotherly kindness; and in your {Greek: love of the brethren.}brotherly kindness love.
For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For he that lacketh these things is blind, {Or, closing his eyes}seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and {Greek: unto the day of eternity. Ecclus. 18:10}for ever. Amen.