1 Thessalonians 4 The remainder (What is left; or: Finally), then, brothers (= fellow believers), we are continuously asking and calling you alongside to encourage, exhort and comfort you folks in the Lord Jesus, according as you took to your side (or: received and accepted) from us how (or: in what manner) it is binding for; upon you to normally walk about (= live your lives) and to be continuously pleasing to God – just as you are even now continuously walking about – to the end that you would progressively superabound to a greater extent (or: can rather habitually excel and surround yourselves by more than enough).

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ The remainder (What is left; or: Finally), then, brothers (= fellow believers), we are continuously asking and calling you alongside to encourage, exhort and comfort you folks in the Lord Jesus, according as you took to your side (or: received and accepted) from us how (or: in what manner) it is binding [for; upon] you to normally walk about (= live your lives) and to be continuously pleasing to God – just as you are even now continuously walking about – to the end that you would progressively superabound to a greater extent (or: can rather habitually excel and surround [yourselves] by more than enough). ² For you have seen and are aware what instructions (messages alongside) we gave to you through the Lord Jesus. ³ You see, this is the will (intent, purpose) of God: your state of being set apart from the common use or condition (or: sacred difference; = covenant living) – you are to continuously hold yourself from (be distant from; abstain from) all of the prostitution [note: figuratively, the worship of idols or false religions, and a break from covenant]. ⁴ Each one of you [is] to have seen and thus learned how, know and be aware of his own equipment (gear; utensils; instruments; vessel; = means of making a living), to progressively acquire (procure for one's self) in set-apartness (or: holiness) and honor (value, worth), ⁵ not in a feeling of excessive desire (or: in union with an experience of full-rushing passion), just as also the nations (ethnic multitudes; non-Israelites) [do] who, having not perceived, do not know (aren't aware of; aren't acquainted with) God. ⁶ Thus, no one is to be continuously overstepping and have more (hold advantage) in his brother's affair (result of doing; transaction-effect; development from a matter; = cheat his fellow believers in business dealings), because [the] Lord [= Yahweh or Christ] [is] a maintainer of right (an executor of justice and equity from the Way pointed out) concerning all these people and things, just as we also told you before and certified with solemn witness throughout. ⁷ For God did not call us on the basis of uncleanness (or: does not invite us [to be] on [a path lived in] a soiled condition or a dirty environment), but rather within the sphere of set-apartness (or: sacred difference; = in a manner commensurate to covenant living). ⁸ Consequently, then, the person continuously setting aside (or: displacing) is not setting aside (or: displacing; or: = disregarding) a human (or: person), but God, even the One continuously giving His Sacred Breath into us (or: repeatedly imparting His Spirit, the Holy One, unto us; constantly gifting His set-apart Breath-effect [to flow] into us). ⁹ But now concerning loving one like a brother (or: brotherly love; = fondness for fellow believers), we have no need to continually write to you, for you yourselves are folks continuously taught by God (God-taught ones) to continuously love each other, ¹⁰ for you are even continuously doing this unto all of those brothers within the whole of Macedonia. But we are constantly calling you alongside (to encourage, urge, exhort and comfort you), brothers, to progressively superabound to a greater extent (or: rather to habitually excel and surround [yourselves] by more than enough [brotherly affection]). ¹¹ and then to habitually be fond of honor and value [and] to be repeatedly quiet (or: to be progressively ambitious to live in settled peace), and by habit to be engaged (or: involved) in your own affairs (or: matters), and then to constantly work with your own hands (idiom: = work at it actively), according as we commanded to you, ¹² to the intent that you may continuously walk about in good form (= live your life respectably) toward those without (with a view to outsiders; = face to face with those that are not a part of your community), and then you would continually have need of nothing. ¹³ Now then, we are not wanting (or: willing, intending) you to continue ignorant, brothers, concerning the folks who are from time to time falling asleep [other MSS: those having been put to sleep (= passed away; died), and continuing made to be sleeping], to the intent that you may not continuously be made to be sad or sorrowful according as even (or: just like also) the rest (the ones remaining or left), the folks continuously having no expectation (or: hope). ¹⁴ For you see, since (or: if) we habitually believe that Jesus died and then arose (or: stood up again), thus (in this manner) also, through Jesus, God will continue (or: be repeatedly and progressively) leading together with Him the folks being made to sleep. ¹⁵ For this we are continuously saying to you in a word of the Lord (or: in the Lord's Word; in a message which is [the] Lord; or: in union with an idea from [our] Owner), that we, the presently living (or: the ones continuing to live) – the folks presently continuing to be left around unto the presence of the Lord (or: into the midst of the Lord's [= Christ's or Yahweh's] presence) – can by no means advance before (precede; have advantage over; outstrip) the folks being made to sleep, ¹⁶ because the Lord [= Yahweh or Christ] Himself will continue habitually descending (or: repeatedly descend) from [the] atmosphere (or: heaven) within the midst of (or: in union with) a shout of command, within the midst of [the] Chief Agent's (or: in union with an original messenger's or a chief and ruling agent’s) voice, and within the midst of (or: in union with) God’s trumpet [note: figure of a message or a directive for action], and the dead people within Christ (or: in union with [the] Anointed One) will continue raising themselves up first (or: will one-after-another be standing up again in [the or their] first place). ¹⁷ Thereupon (or: After that; As a next step) we, the presently living folks, the ones presently continuing to be left around, will – at the same time, together with them – proceed being seized and snatched away within clouds (or: carried off by force, in union with clouds,) into the midst of [the] air (the air that we breathe in; the mist; the haze; the atmosphere around us; [note: this would be in the earth's lower atmosphere, the place where there is air]) – into the Lord's meeting ([Christ’s or Yahweh’s] encounter; an encountering which is the Lord). And thus (in this way and such a manner) shall we always continue being (or: continue existing at all times) together with [the] Lord [= Christ or Yahweh]. ¹⁸ So that (or: Consequently) you must constantly call each other alongside to give relief, encouragement and comfort, as a paraclete, within these words (or: thoughts; reasons).