Living to Please God 1 UST So then, fellow believers,{ here is} the rest{ of what I want to write to you}.{ When we visited you,} we taught you how you should behave in a way that honors God, and that is how you are behaving! Now we urge you, because God has united you to the Lord Jesus, to continue to behave in this way more and more. BSB BSB: Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.
2 UST You remember what we commanded you{ to do as we spoke} for the Lord Jesus. BSB BSB: For you know the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 UST For example, God desires that you act in pure ways. That means that you should not have improper sex. BSB BSB: For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality;
4 UST { That also means that} you all should learn to control how you desire to have sex.{ That way,} you will be acting purely and honoring{ God}. BSB BSB: each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
5 UST { You should} not have any improper sex that you greatly desire. That is what non- Jews who do not trust in God do. BSB BSB: not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;
6 UST { You should do what God desires} concerning having sex so that you will not sin by mistreating a fellow believer.{ You should avoid sinning in that way} because the Lord{ Jesus} will punish{ all people who have} any kind of improper sex. We already declared that to you{ when we were with you}. BSB BSB: and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.
7 UST Indeed, God chose us so that we would belong to him.{ He did} not{ choose us} so that we would do impure things. BSB BSB: For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
8 UST So then, anyone who disobeys{ what we have commanded you} is not{ simply} disobeying a human. Rather,{ that person is disobeying} God. He is the one who sends the Holy Spirit to you. BSB BSB: Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.
9 UST We do not have to tell you anything about how to care for fellow believers.{ That is} because God instructed you so that you care for each other. BSB BSB: Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
10 UST { That is} also because you{ already} care for all the fellow believers throughout Macedonia{ province}. Fellow believers, we exhort you{ to care for fellow believers} even more. BSB BSB: And you are indeed showing this love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more
11 UST { We} also{ exhort you} to try very earnestly to live peacefully, to focus on your own tasks, and to earn what you need to live. In fact,{ that is} what we told you to do{ when we were with you}. BSB BSB: and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.
12 UST { We urge you to do these things,} so that you can set a good example toward those who do not believe in the Messiah{ by how modestly you live.} Then you would not have to depend{ on others} to provide what you need{ to live}. BSB BSB: Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.
The Return of the Lord 14 UST Certainly, we{ apostles} are convinced that Jesus died and resurrected. This is why we also are convinced that God will{ resurrect} the dead people who are united to Jesus. Then God will send them back with Jesus{ when he returns to earth again}. BSB BSB: For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
15 UST In fact, what we{ apostles} are now telling you is a message from the Lord{ Jesus himself}. When the Lord{ Jesus} comes again{, all believers in the Messiah will greet him}. First, those{ believers in the Messiah} who have{ already} died will certainly greet him, and then we{ believers in the Messiah} who are still alive. BSB BSB: By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.
17 UST After that, God will snatch up all of us believers in the Messiah who are still alive on earth so that we can meet the Lord{ Jesus} in the air. Both groups of believers in the Messiah will meet together on the clouds. This is how we will remain together with the Lord{ Jesus} forever! BSB BSB: After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
18 UST As a result, you must encourage each other with this message! BSB BSB: Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.