1Thessalonians 3-4; Psalms 16 - Prayer Tents

3Finally, when we could stand it no longer, we decided to stay alone in Athens,G1352G4722G3371G4722G2106G2641G1722G116G3441 2and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our brother and God's co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith,G2532G3992G5095G2257G80G2532G1249G2316G2532G2257G4904G1722G2098G5547G1519G4741G5209G2532G3870G5209G4012G5216G4102 3and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles.G3367G4525G1722G5025G2347G1063G846G1492G3754G2749G1519G5124 4Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know.G1063G2532G3753G2258G4314G5209G4302G5213G4302G3754G3195G2346G2532G2531G1096G2532G1492 5That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of you and that our work had been useless.G5124G1223G2504G4722G3371G4722G3992G1519G1097G5216G4102G3381G4458G3985G3985G5209G2532G2257G2873G1096G1519G2756 6But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love. He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.G1161G737G5095G2064G575G5216G4314G2248G2532G2097G2254G2097G5216G4102G2532G26G2532G3754G2192G18G3417G2257G3842G1971G1492G2248G2509G2249G2532G5209 7So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith.G1223G5124G80G3870G1909G5213G1909G3956G2257G2347G2532G318G1223G5216G4102 8It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.G3754G3568G2198G1437G5210G4739G1722G2962 9How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God's presence.G1063G5101G2169G1410G467G2316G467G4012G5216G1909G3956G5479G3739G5463G1223G5209G1715G2257G2316 10Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.G3571G2532G2250G1189G1537G4053G5228G1519G1492G5216G4383G2532G2675G5303G5216G4102 11May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon.G1161G2316G846G2532G2257G3962G2532G2257G2962G2424G5547G2720G2257G3598G4314G5209 12And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.G1161G2962G4121G5209G4121G2532G4052G26G240G1519G240G2532G1519G3956G2532G2509G2249G1519G5209 13May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.G1519G4741G5216G2588G273G1722G42G1715G2316G2532G2257G3962G1722G3952G2257G2962G2424G5547G3326G3956G846G40

Live to Please God

4Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.G3063G3767G2065G5209G80G2532G3870G1722G2962G2424G2531G3880G3844G2257G4459G5209G1163G4043G2532G700G2316G2443G4052G3123 2For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.G1063G1492G5101G3852G1325G5213G1223G2962G2424 3God's will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.G1063G5124G2076G2307G2316G5216G38G5209G567G575G4202 4Then each of you will control his own body① and live in holiness and honor—/ ①Or will know how to take a wife for himself; or will learn to live with his own wife; Greek reads will know how to possess his own vesselG1538G5216G1492G2932G1438G4632G1722G38G2532G5092 5not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways.G3361G1722G3806G1939G2532G2509G1484G3588G1492G3361G2316 6Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before.G3361G5233G2532G4122G846G80G1722G4229G1360G2962G1558G4012G3956G5130G2531G4277G2532G4277G5213G2532G1263 7God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.G1063G2316G2564G3756G2564G2248G1909G167G235G1722G38 8Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.G5105G114G114G3756G444G235G2316G1325G2532G1325G1519G2248G846G40G4151 9But we don't need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.G1161G4012G5360G2192G5532G3756G1125G5213G1063G5210G846G2075G2312G1519G25G240 10Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.G2532G1063G4160G846G1519G3956G80G3588G1722G3650G3109G1161G3870G5209G80G4052G3123 11Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.G2532G5389G2270G2532G4238G2398G2532G2038G5216G2398G5495G2531G3853G5213 12Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.G2443G4043G2156G4314G1854G2532G2192G5532G3367

The Hope of the Resurrection

13And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.G1161G2309G3756G2309G5209G50G80G4012G2837G3363G3076G3363G2532G2531G3062G3588G2192G3361G1680 14For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.G1063G1487G4100G3754G2424G599G2532G450G3779G2532G2837G1223G2424G71G2316G71G4862G846 15We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.G1063G5124G3004G5213G1722G3056G2962G3754G2249G3588G2198G4035G1519G3952G2962G5348G3364G5348G3588G2837 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.G3754G2962G846G2597G575G3772G1722G2752G1722G5456G743G2532G1722G4536G2316G2532G3498G1722G5547G450G4412 17Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.G1899G2249G3588G2198G4035G726G260G4862G846G1722G3507G1519G529G2962G1519G109G2532G3779G2071G3842G2071G4862G2962 18So encourage each other with these words.G5620G3870G240G1722G5125G3056

16[A psalm of David.] Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.H4387H1732H8104H410H2620 2I said to the LORD, "You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you."H559H3068H136H2896 3The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!H6918H1992H776H117H2656 4Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods. I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods.H6094H7235H4116H312H5262H1818H5258H1077H5375H8034H8193 5LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.H3068H4490H2506H3563H8551H1486 6The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!H2256H5307H5273H8231H5159 7I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.H1288H3068H3289H3629H3256H3915 8I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.H7737H3068H8548H3225H4131 9No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.H3820H8055H3519H1523H1320H7931H983 10For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.H5800H5315H7585H5414H2623H7200H7845 11You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.H3045H734H2416H6440H7648H8057H3225H5273H5331