1 Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body*4:4 literally, possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God, 6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.

9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, 10 for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more; 11 and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.

13 But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 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, 17 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. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Mis puudutab teisi asju, vennad ja õed, me oleme teid juhatanud elama Jumalale meelepärast elu nii, nagu te elategi. Nüüd me palume ja julgustame teid Issandas Jeesuses seda veel enam tegema. 2 Te ju teate, millised korraldused me teile oleme Issanda Jeesuse poolt andnud.

3 Jumala tahe on, et te oleksite pühitsetud: väldiksite sugukõlvatust, 4 et igaüks teist õpiks valitsema oma ihu pühal ja auväärsel viisil, 5 mitte kirglikus himus nagu paganad, kes ei tunne Jumalat. 6 Ärgu ka ükski tehku ülekohut oma venna või õe vastu ega kasutagu teda ära, sest Issand karistab kõiki, kes säärast pattu teevad, nagu me oleme teile varem rääkinud ja teid hoiatanud. 7 Jumal ei ole ju kutsunud meid rüvedusele, vaid pühitsusele. 8 Kes seda korraldust eirab, ei eira inimest, vaid Jumalat, kes oma Püha Vaimu teisse annab.

9 Vennaarmastusest aga pole meil tarvis teile kirjutadagi, sest Jumal on teid õpetanud üksteist armastama 10 ja te olete kohelnud armastavalt kõiki vendi ja õdesid kogu Makedoonias. Seda, vennad ja õed, me manitseme teid tegema üha enam ja enam 11 ja seadke endale eesmärgiks elada vaikset elu, tegeleda oma asjadega ning teha tööd oma kätega, nagu me oleme teid juhatanud, 12 et teie käitumine leiaks lugupidamist väljaspool kogudust ja te ei vajaks ülalpidamist kelleltki.

13 Me ei taha teid, vennad ja õed, jätta teadmatusse nende suhtes, kes on läinud magama, et te ei kurvastaks, nagu need, kellel puudub lootus! 14 Sest kui me usume, et Jeesus on surnud ja üles tõusnud, siis me usume ka, et Jumal äratab Jeesuse kaudu üles need, kes koos temaga on läinud magama.

15 Seda me ütleme teile Issanda sõnaga, et meie, kes oleme veel elus ja kes on jäänud Issanda tulekuni, ei jõua ette neist, kes on läinud magama. 16 Sest Issand ise tuleb sõjahüüu, peaingli hääle ja Jumala pasunaheli saatel taevast alla ning esmalt tõusevad üles need, kes on surnud Kristuses. 17 Seejärel haaratakse meid, kes oleme veel elus ja järele jäänud, koos nendega pilvedesse, et kohtuda õhus Issandaga. Ja nii saame me igavesti olla koos Issandaga. 18 Julgustage üksteist nende sõnadega!