1 Thessalonians 4

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.

最后，弟兄姊妹，既然你们领受了我们的教导，知道怎样行才能讨上帝的喜悦，如你们现在所行的，我们靠着主耶稣恳求、劝勉你们要更加努力。

For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

你们都知道我们靠着主耶稣传给你们的诫命。

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;

上帝的旨意是要你们圣洁，远避淫乱的事，

that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a] in a way that is holy and honorable,

要你们人人都知道持守身体的圣洁和尊贵，

not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;

不可荒淫纵欲，像那些不认识上帝的外族人一样。

and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.^[b] The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.

你们在这种事上不可越轨，亏负弟兄姊妹。我们曾经对你们说过，并且郑重地警告过你们，主必惩治犯这种罪的人。

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

因为上帝呼召我们不是要我们沾染污秽，而是要我们圣洁。

Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

所以，人若拒绝遵行这命令，他不是拒绝人，而是拒绝赐圣灵给你们的上帝。

Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.

关于弟兄姊妹彼此相爱的事，我就不必多写了，因为你们自己从上帝那里领受了要彼此相爱的教导。

And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,

你们对马其顿全境的弟兄姊妹已经做到了这一点。不过，我劝各位要再接再厉。

and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,

你们要立志过安分守己的生活，亲手做工，正如我们以前吩咐你们的。

so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Believers Who Have Died

这样，你们可以得到外人的尊敬，不必依赖任何人。

复活的盼望

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.

弟兄姊妹，关于安息的信徒^[a]，我不愿意你们一无所知，免得你们像那些没有盼望的人一样悲伤。

For 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.

我们既然相信耶稣死了，又复活了，也要相信上帝必把那些安息的信徒和耶稣一同带来。

According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

我们把主耶稣的话告诉你们：主再来的那天，我们还活着的人不会比已安息的信徒先见到主。

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.

因为主必在号令声、天使长的呼喊声和上帝的号角声中亲自从天降临，已经离世的基督徒必先复活。

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.

然后，我们还活着的人要和他们一起被提到云里，在空中与主相会，永远和主在一起。

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

所以你们要用这些话彼此鼓励。