Προς Θεσσαλονικεις Α΄ 4

1 λοιπον ουν αδελφοι ερωτωμεν υμασ και παρακαλουμεν εν κυριω ιησου καθωσ παρελαβετε παρ ημων το πωσ δει υμασ περιπατειν και αρεσκειν θεω ινα περισσευητε μαλλον

Moreover, brethren, as you learnt from our lips the lives which you ought to live, and do live, so as to please God, we beg and exhort you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live them more and more truly.

2 οιδατε γαρ τινασ παραγγελιασ εδωκαμεν υμιν δια του κυριου ιησου

For you know the commands which we laid upon you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 τουτο γαρ εστιν θελημα του θεου ο αγιασμοσ υμων απεχεσθαι υμασ απο τησ πορνειασ

For this is God's will--your purity of life, that you abstain from fornication;

4 ειδεναι εκαστον υμων το εαυτου σκευοσ κτασθαι εν αγιασμω και τιμη

that each man among you shall know how to procure a wife who shall be his own in purity and honour;

5 μη εν παθει επιθυμιασ καθαπερ και τα εθνη τα μη ειδοτα τον θεον

that you be not overmastered by lustful cravings, like the Gentiles who have no knowledge of God;

6 το μη υπερβαινειν και πλεονεκτειν εν τω πραγματι τον αδελφον αυτου διοτι εκδικοσ ο κυριοσ περι παντων τουτων καθωσ και προειπομεν υμιν και διεμαρτυραμεθα

and that in this matter there be no encroaching on the rights of a brother Christian and no overreaching him. For the Lord is an avenger in all such cases, as we have already taught you and solemnly warned you.

7 ου γαρ εκαλεσεν ημασ ο θεοσ επι ακαθαρσια αλλ εν αγιασμω

God has not called us to an unclean life, but to one of purity.

8 τοιγαρουν ο αθετων ουκ ανθρωπον αθετει αλλα τον θεον τον και δοντα το πνευμα αυτου το αγιον εισ υμασ

Therefore a defiant spirit in such a case provokes not man but God, who puts His Holy Spirit into your hearts.

9 περι δε τησ φιλαδελφιασ ου χρειαν εχετε γραφειν υμιν αυτοι γαρ υμεισ θεοδιδακτοι εστε εισ το αγαπαν αλληλουσ

But on the subject of love for the brotherhood it is unnecessary for me to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another;

10 και γαρ ποιειτε αυτο εισ παντασ τουσ αδελφουσ τουσ εν ολη τη μακεδονια παρακαλουμεν δε υμασ αδελφοι περισσευειν μαλλον

and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedonia. And we exhort you to do so more and more,

11 και φιλοτιμεισθαι ησυχαζειν και πρασσειν τα ιδια και εργαζεσθαι ταισ ιδιαισ χερσιν υμων καθωσ υμιν παρηγγειλαμεν

and to vie with one another in eagerness for peace, every one minding his own business and working with his hands, as we ordered you to do:

12 ινα περιπατητε ευσχημονωσ προσ τουσ εξω και μηδενοσ χρειαν εχητε

so as to live worthy lives in relation to outsiders, and not be a burden to any one.

13 ου θελομεν δε υμασ αγνοειν αδελφοι περι των κεκοιμημενων ινα μη λυπησθε καθωσ και οι λοιποι οι μη εχοντεσ ελπιδα

Now, concerning those who from time to time pass away, we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, lest you should mourn as others do who have no hope.

14 ει γαρ πιστευομεν οτι ιησουσ απεθανεν και ανεστη ουτωσ και ο θεοσ τουσ κοιμηθεντασ δια του ιησου αξει συν αυτω

For if we believe that Jesus has died and risen again, we also believe that, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who shall have passed away.

15 τουτο γαρ υμιν λεγομεν εν λογω κυριου οτι ημεισ οι ζωντεσ οι περιλειπομενοι εισ την παρουσιαν του κυριου ου μη φθασωμεν τουσ κοιμηθεντασ

For this we declare to you on the Lord's own authority--that we who are alive and continue on earth until the Coming of the Lord, shall certainly not forestall those who shall have previously passed away.

16 οτι αυτοσ ο κυριοσ εν κελευσματι εν φωνη αρχαγγελου και εν σαλπιγγι θεου καταβησεται απ ουρανου και οι νεκροι εν χριστω αναστησονται πρωτον

For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a loud word of command, and with an archangel's voice and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 επειτα ημεισ οι ζωντεσ οι περιλειπομενοι αμα συν αυτοισ αρπαγησομεθα εν νεφελαισ εισ απαντησιν του κυριου εισ αερα και ουτωσ παντοτε συν κυριω εσομεθα

Afterwards we who are alive and are still on earth will be caught up in their company amid clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

18 ωστε παρακαλειτε αλληλουσ εν τοισ λογοισ τουτοισ

And so we shall be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.