1 Thessalonians 5

The Day of the Lord

¹Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.²For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.³While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.⁴But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.⁵For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.⁶So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.⁹For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,¹⁰who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Final Instructions and Benediction

¹²We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,¹³and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.¹⁴And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.¹⁵See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.¹⁶Rejoice always,¹⁷pray without ceasing,¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit.²⁰Do not despise prophecies,²¹but test everything; hold fast what is good.²²Abstain from every form of evil.

²³Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.²⁴He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

²⁵Brothers, pray for us.

²⁶Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

²⁷I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

²⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.