Epistula I ad Thessalonicenses, 4
1. De cetero ergo, fratres, rogamus vos et obsecramus in Domino Iesu, ut — quemadmodum accepistis a nobis quomodo vos oporteat ambulare et placere Deo, sicut et ambulatis — ut abundetis magis.
1. Finally, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more.
2. Scitis enim, quae praecepta dederimus vobis per Dominum Iesum.
2. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3. Haec est enim voluntas Dei, sanctificatio vestra,
3. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from unchastity;
4. ut abstineatis a fornicatione; ut sciat unusquisque vestrum suum vas possidere in sanctificatione et honore,
4. that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor,
5. non in passione desiderii, sicut et gentes, quae ignorant Deum;
5. not in the passion of lust like heathen who do not know God;
6. ut ne quis supergrediatur neque circumveniat in negotio fratrem suum, quoniam vindex est Dominus de his omnibus, sicut et praediximus vobis et testificati sumus.
6. that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we solemnly forewarned you.
7. Non enim vocavit nos Deus in immunditiam sed in sanctificationem.
7. For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness.
8. Itaque, qui spernit, non hominem spernit sed Deum, qui etiam dat Spiritum suum Sanctum in vos.
8. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9. De caritate autem fraternitatis non necesse habetis, ut vobis scribam; ipsi enim vos a Deo edocti estis, ut diligatis invicem;
9. But concerning love of the brethren you have no need to have any one write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another;
10. etenim facitis illud in omnes fratres in universa Macedonia. Rogamus autem vos, fratres, ut abundetis magis;
10. and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedo'nia. But we exhort you, brethren, to do so more and more,
11. et operam detis, ut quieti sitis et ut vestrum negotium agatis et operemini manibus vestris, sicut praecipimus vobis;
11. to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you;
12. ut honeste ambuletis ad eos, qui foris sunt, et nullius aliquid desideretis.
12. so that you may command the respect of outsiders, and be dependent on nobody.
13. Nolumus autem vos ignorare, fratres, de dormientibus, ut non contristemini sicut et ceteri, qui spem non habent.
13. But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
14. Si enim credimus quod Iesus mortuus est et resurrexit, ita et Deus eos, qui dormierunt, per Iesum adducet cum eo.
14. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
15. Hoc enim vobis dicimus in verbo Domini, quia nos, qui vivimus, qui relinquimur in adventum Domini, non praeveniemus eos, qui dormierunt;
15. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16. quoniam ipse Dominus in iussu, in voce archangeli et in tuba Dei descendet de caelo, et mortui, qui in Christo sunt, resurgent primi;
16. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first;
17. deinde nos, qui vivimus, qui relinquimur, simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obviam Domino in aera, et sic semper cum Domino erimus.
17. then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.
18. Itaque consolamini invicem in verbis istis.
18. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
