1 He exhorteth them 3 to holiness, 9 and brotherly love. 13 He forbiddeth them to sorrow after to manner of infidels. 15 He setteth out the history of our resurrection.

And [a]furthermore we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that ye [b]increase more and more, as ye have received of us, how ye ought to walk, and to please God.

For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

(A)[c]For this is the will of God even your [d]sanctification, and that ye should abstain from fornication,

[e]That everyone of you should know, how to possess his vessel in holiness and honor,

[f]And not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

(B)[g]That no man oppress or defraud his brother in any matter: for the Lord is avenger of all such things, as we also have told you beforetime, and testified.

(C)For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

He therefore that [h]despiseth these things, despiseth not man, but God who hath even given you his holy Spirit.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Divers exhortations, the ground whereof is this, to be mindful of those things, which they have heard of the Apostle.
  2. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 That ye labor to excel more and more, and daily pass yourselves.
  3. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 This is the sum of those things, which he delivered them, to dedicate themselves wholly to God. And he condemneth plainly all filthiness through lust, because it is altogether contrary to the will of God.
  4. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 See John 19:17.
  5. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Another reason, because it defileth the body.
  6. 1 Thessalonians 4:5 The third, because the Saints are discerned from them which know not God, by honesty and purity.
  7. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 Secondly, he reprehendeth all violent oppression and immoderate desire, and showeth most severely as the Prophet of God, that God will revenge such wickedness.
  8. 1 Thessalonians 4:8 These commandments which I gave you.

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