4:1 Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk,-- that ye abound more and more.
4:1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us [instruction] as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more.

4:2 For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
4:2 For you know what commandments we gave you by [the authority of] the Lord Jesus.

4:3 For this is the will of God, (even) your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication;
4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; [that is,] that you abstain from sexual immorality;

4:4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
4:4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

4:5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who know not God;
4:5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

4:6 that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.
4:6 [and] that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is [the] avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned [you.]

4:7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
4:7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

4:8 Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.
4:8 Consequently, he who rejects [this] is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

4:9 But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;
4:9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for [anyone] to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

4:10 for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more;
4:10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,

4:11 and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you;
4:11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you;

4:12 that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.
4:12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

4:13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.
4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.

4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.
4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.

4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of [the] archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

4:17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.