1 Thessalonians 4

Devotionals, Articles, and Bible Study Resources on 1 Thessalonians 4

1Finally, 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.
2For you know the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality;
4each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
5not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;
6and 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.
7For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
8Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.
9Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
10And you are indeed showing this love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more
11and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.
12Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.
13Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.
14For 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.
15By 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.
16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.
17After 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.
18Therefore encourage one another with these words.
— 1 Thessalonians 4

Related Resources from Heartlight

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 -- Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

And so we will be with the Lord...
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 -- The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

100 % Pure
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

Bible Image of 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 -- For God did not call use to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Caught up in the Clouds
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Inspirational illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 -- 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we wh

For God did not call us to be impure,...
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 -- For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

God's Gracious Supply
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 NLT

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 NLT -- God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Right Ambition
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Inspirational illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 -- Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will

Taught by God to Love
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:8-9 NLT

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:8-9 NLT -- Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by [Paul's instructions] is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. But we don't need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.

God's Instruction
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:8 NIV

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:8 NIV -- Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

It is God's will that you should be...
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:3 -- It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality...

Keep Pure
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Inspirational illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:3 -- It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality ...

We believe that Jesus died and rose...
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:14

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:14 -- We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

We believe that Jesus died and rose...
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:14

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:14 -- We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

What a reunion in the clouds!
Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:14

Inspirational illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:14 -- 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.© Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible SocietyAll rights re

Cross References for 1 Thessalonians 4

Cross References Provided by Open Bible

The Berean Standard Bible

The Berean Standard Bible (BSB) is a modern, clear, and faithful translation based on the best available Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. Ideal for reading, study, and sharing, it entered the public domain in 2023. For more information, visit berean.bible.