1 Tessalonicenses 5

4,5 Just like people in the dark are unaware of what is happening around them, most people will not be aware of what is about to happen to them [MET, PRS]. Just like a thief comes unexpectedly for people who are unaware, that time of punishment will come when people are not expecting it [SIM]. But you, my fellow believers, are people who are very much aware [LIT] of what is going to happen. As a result, you will be expecting [LIT] those things [MTY] to happen [PRS]. All of us believers are people [IDM] who do what is right, as people usually do in the daytime [MET] when their actions can be seen. We are not people who do evil things, as some people do when it is dark [MET]. 6 So we believers must be aware of what is happening. We must be watching carefully, as people who are awake watch for a thief [MET]. We must be self-controlled, as people who are ◄sober/not drunk► are able to control what they do [MET]. People who sleep [MET] are unaware of what is happening, and unbelievers are like that. 7 It is at night when people become drunk and they do very wrong actions/things, and are unaware of what is happening because they are asleep. 8 But we believers are people who should do what is right [MET], so we must be self-controlled, as people in the daytime are usually not drunk and are able to control what they do [MET]. As Roman soldiers protect themselves by putting on breastplates and helmets [MET], we believers must protect ourselves by continuing to trust and love the Lord Jesus and by continuing to confidently expect that he will save us from God’s punishing us at the time when he will punish other people.

God has destined us believers to be saved from future punishment and to be able to live together with our Lord Jesus after he returns. Since this is true, encourage each other.

9 When God chose us, he did not plan for us to be people whom he will severely punish [MTY]. On the contrary, he decided that he would save us because of our trusting in what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.