1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Sanctification and Love

1 1Finally then, 2brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to 3walk and 4please God (just as you actually do walk ), that you 5excel still more.
2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you 6abstain from sexual immorality;
4 that 7each of you know how to possess his own 8vessel in sanctification and 9honor,
5 not in 10lustful passion, like the Gentiles who 11do not know God;
6 and that no man transgress and 12defraud his brother 13in the matter because 14the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also 15told you before and solemnly warned you.
7 For 16God has not called us for 17the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.
8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who 18gives His Holy Spirit to you.
9 Now as to the 19love of the brethren, you 20have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are 21taught by God to love one another;
10 for indeed 22you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to 23excel still more,
11 and to make it your ambition 24to lead a quiet life and 25attend to your own business and 26work with your hands, just as we commanded you,
12 so that you will 27behave properly toward 28outsiders * and 29not be in any need.

Cross References 29

  • 1. 2 Corinthians 13:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:1
  • 2. Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:1, 13
  • 3. Ephesians 4:1
  • 4. 2 Corinthians 5:9
  • 5. Philippians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:3
  • 6. 1 Corinthians 6:18
  • 7. 1 Corinthians 7:2, 9
  • 8. 2 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Peter 3:7
  • 9. Romans 1:24
  • 10. Romans 1:26
  • 11. Galatians 4:8
  • 12. 1 Corinthians 6:8
  • 13. 2 Corinthians 7:11
  • 14. Romans 12:19; Romans 13:4; Heb Romans 13:4
  • 15. Luke 16:28; 1 Thessalonians 2:11; Hebrews 2:6
  • 16. 1 Peter 1:15
  • 17. 1 Thessalonians 2:3
  • 18. Romans 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 4:6; 1 John 3:24
  • 19. John 13:34; Romans 12:10
  • 20. 2 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:1
  • 21. Jeremiah 31:33; John 6:45; 1 John 2:27
  • 22. 1 Thessalonians 1:7
  • 23. 1 Thessalonians 3:12
  • 24. 2 Thessalonians 3:12
  • 25. 1 Peter 4:15
  • 26. Acts 18:3; Ephesians 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
  • 27. Romans 13:13; Colossians 4:5
  • 28. Mark 4:11
  • 29. Ephesians 4:28

Footnotes 10

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