1 Thessalonians 5:1–28

¹Now as for the times and the seasons, brothers, ​YOU​ need nothing to be written to ​YOU.²For ​YOU​ yourselves know quite well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night.³Whenever it is that they are saying: “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.⁴But ​YOU, brothers, ​YOU​ are not in darkness, so that that day should overtake ​YOU​ as it would thieves,⁵for ​YOU​ are all sons of light and sons of day. We belong neither to night nor to darkness.

⁶So, then, let us not sleep on as the rest do, but let us stay awake and keep our senses.⁷For those who sleep are accustomed to sleep at night, and those who get drunk are usually drunk at night.⁸But as for us who belong to the day, let us keep our senses and have on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation;⁹because God assigned us, not to wrath, but to the acquiring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁰He died for us, that, whether we stay awake or are asleep, we should live together with him.¹¹Therefore keep comforting one another and building one another up, just as ​YOU​ are in fact doing.

¹²Now we request ​YOU, brothers, to have regard for those who are working hard among ​YOU​ and presiding over ​YOU​ in [the] Lord and admonishing ​YOU;¹³and to give them more than extraordinary consideration in love because of their work. Be peaceable with one another.¹⁴On the other hand, we exhort ​YOU, brothers, admonish the disorderly, speak consolingly to the depressed souls, support the weak, be long‐suffering toward all.¹⁵See that no one renders injury for injury to anyone else, but always pursue what is good toward one another and to all others.

¹⁶Always be rejoicing.¹⁷Pray incessantly.¹⁸In connection with everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in union with Christ Jesus respecting ​YOU.¹⁹Do not put out the fire of the spirit.²⁰Do not treat prophesyings with contempt.²¹Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine.²²Abstain from every form of wickedness.

²³May the very God of peace sanctify ​YOU​ completely. And sound in every respect may the spirit and soul and body of ​YOU​ [brothers] be preserved in a blameless manner at the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.²⁴He who is calling ​YOU​ is faithful, and he will also do it.

²⁵Brothers, continue in prayer for us.

²⁶Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

²⁷I am putting ​YOU​ under the solemn obligation by the Lord for this letter to be read to all the brothers.

²⁸The undeserved kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with ​YOU.