1 Thessalonians 4

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 4 of 5

1 For the rest then, brothers, we beg you and we exhort in the Lord Jesus, even as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more.

2 For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is God’s will, your sanctification, for you to abstain from fornication,

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Chapter Summary

1 He exhorts to godliness, 6 to live justly, 9 to love one another, 13 to sorrow moderately for the dead. 15 A description of the second coming.

Key Greek Words

ἁγιασμός sanctification G38
πορνεία fornication G4202
φιλαδελφία brotherly love G5360
παρουσία coming of the Lord G3952
ἀρχάγγελος archangel G743
ἁρπάζω to be caught up G726

People & Context

Jesus Christ

The Lord who died and rose, and whose coming gathers the living and the dead [4:14-17]

God the Father

The One whose will is the believers' sanctification; will bring the sleeping ones with Jesus [4:3,14]

Timeline

Called to Sanctification

Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to walk and please God, declaring that God's will is their sanctification, particularly to abstain from fornication and possess their vessel in honor.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-5
The Lord as Avenger

Paul warns against defrauding a brother, for the Lord is the avenger in such matters, and God has not called believers to impurity but to sanctification.

1 Thessalonians 4:6-8
Brotherly Love and Quiet Living

Paul affirms that the Thessalonians are taught by God to love one another and exhorts them to aspire to live quietly, attend to their own affairs, and work with their hands.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

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Word-for-word literal translation with Greek interlinear, Strong's numbers, and audio.

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