The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

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 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 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 comfort one another with these words.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you.

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape.

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief:

for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness;

so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober.

For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that are drunken are drunken in the night.

But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

For God appointed us not unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Wherefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do.

But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

and to esteem them exceeding highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all.

See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all.

Rejoice always;

pray without ceasing;

in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.

Quench not the Spirit;

despise not prophesyings;

prove all things; hold fast that which is good;

abstain from every form of evil.

And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it.

Brethren, pray for us.

Salute all the brethren with a holy kiss.

I adjure you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the brethren.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ;

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth;

so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure;

[which is] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

if so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you,

and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire,

rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus:

who shall suffer punishment, [even] eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.

To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and [every] work of faith, with power;

that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;

to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand;

let no man beguile you in any wise: for [it will not be], except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,

he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.

For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only [there is] one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.

And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;

[even he], whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:

that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

whereunto he called you through our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as also [it is] with you;

and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for all have not faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and guard you from the evil [one].

And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command.

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us.

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 ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing.

And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

And [yet] count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.

The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Saviour, and Christ Jesus our hope;

unto Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

As I exhorted thee to tarry at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine,

neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questionings, rather than a dispensation of God which is in faith; [so do I now].

But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned:

from which things some having swerved have turned aside unto vain talking;

desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm.

But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully,

as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

for fornicators, for abusers of themselves with men, for menstealers, for liars, for false swearers, and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;

according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

I thank him that enabled me, [even] Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to [his] service;

though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief;

and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:

howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all his longsuffering, for an ensample of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life.

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, [be] honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

This charge I commit unto thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to thee, that by them thou mayest war the good warfare;

holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concerning the faith: