1 Thessalonians 4:12

4:12 In this way you will live ¹  a decent life before outsiders and not be in need. ² 

1 Thessalonians 4:1

A Life Pleasing to God

4:1 Finally then, brothers and sisters, ³  we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how ⁴  you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) ⁵  that you do so more and more.

1 Thessalonians 5:4

5:4 But you, brothers and sisters, ⁶  are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would.

1 Thessalonians 5:10

5:10 He died ⁷  for us so that whether we are alert or asleep ⁸  we will come to life together with him.

1 Thessalonians 2:16

2:16 because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins, ⁹  but wrath ¹⁰  has come upon them completely. ¹¹ 

1 Thessalonians 4:13

The Lord Returns for Believers

4:13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed, ¹²  brothers and sisters, ¹³  about those who are asleep, ¹⁴  so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.

[4:12]  ¹ tn Grk “that you may live,” continuing the sentence of 4:10b-11.

[4:12]  ² tn Or “not be dependent on anyone”; Grk “and have need of nothing,” “of no one.”

[4:1]  ³ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:4.

[4:1]  ⁴ sn As you received instruction from us about how (Grk “as you received from us how”). The Greek word translated received is used for accepting instructions passed on as fixed traditions from teacher to follower. Paul speaks in these terms about doctrinal traditions as well as ethical instruction that he passes on to his converts and expects them to keep (cf. 1 Cor 11:2, 23; 15:1-3; Gal 1:9; Phil 4:9; 2 Thess 2:15; 3:6).

[4:1]  ⁵ tc This parenthetical clause is absent in several later witnesses (D² Ψ Ï), but it may have been expunged for sounding redundant. The longer text, in this instance, is solidly supported by א A B D* F G 0183^vid 0278 33 81 104 326 365 629 al co and should be unquestionably preferred.

[5:4]  ⁵ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:4.

[5:10]  ⁷ tn Grk “the one who died,” describing Jesus Christ (1 Thess 5:9). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 10 in the translation.

[5:10]  ⁸ sn The phrases alert or asleep may be understood (1) of moral alertness (living in faith, love, and hope as vv. 6, 8 call for, versus being unresponsive to God) or (2) of physical life and death (whether alive or dead). The first fits better with the context of 5:1-9, while the second returns to the point Paul started with in 4:13-18 (no disadvantage for the believing dead).

[2:16]  ⁹ tn Grk “to fill up their sins always.”

[2:16]  ¹⁰ tc The Western text (D F G latt) adds τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) to ὀργή (orgh) to read “the wrath of God,” in emulation of the normal Pauline idiom (cf., e.g., Rom 1:18; Eph 5:6; Col 3:6) and, most likely, to clarify which wrath is in view (since ὀργή is articular).

[2:16]  ¹¹ tn Or “at last.”

[4:13]  ¹¹ tn Grk “ignorant.”

[4:13]  ¹² tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:4.

[4:13]  ¹³ tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for death when speaking of believers. This metaphorical usage by its very nature emphasizes the hope of resurrection: Believers will one day “wake up” out of death. Here the term refers to death, but “sleep” was used in the translation to emphasize the metaphorical, rhetorical usage of the term. This word also occurs in vv. 14 and 15.