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 4,11 1Thes 4,11
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith,Than a house full of {Hebrew: the sacrifices of strife.}feasting with strife.
yea, {Greek: being ambitious. 2 Corinthians 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:11}making it my aim so to {See marginal note on chapter 1:15}preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation;
It is as when a man, sojourning in another country, having left his house, and given authority to his {Greek: bondservants.}servants, to each one his work, commanded also the porter to watch.
In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Better is a handful, {Or, of}with quietness, than two handfuls {Or, of}with labor and striving after wind.
Wherefore also we {Greek: are ambitious. See Romans 15:20 margin.}make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.
And the Lord said, Who then is {Or, the faithful steward, the wise man whom &c.}the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall set over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?
in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving {Some ancient authorities read the opportunity.}the Lord;
It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah.
Blessed is that {Greek: bondservant.}servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office:
so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.
And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;
or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching;
or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with {Greek: singleness.}liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.
for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity.
{Greek: Bondservants.}Servants, obey in all things them that are your {Greek: lords.}masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:
whatsoever ye do, work {Greek: from the soul}heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men;
knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ.
For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
neither did we eat bread for nought at any man's hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:
not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.
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.
but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies.
And let our people also learn to {Or, profess honest occupations}maintain good works for necessary {Or, wants}uses, that they be not unfruitful.
And withal they learn also to be idle, going about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed:
the younger men likewise exhort to be sober-minded:
in all things showing thyself an ensample of good works; in thy doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity,
sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us.
Exhort {Greek: bondservants.}servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing to them in all things; not gainsaying;
not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;
if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion {Greek: unto the ages of the ages.}for ever and ever. Amen.
For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters: