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1 Tessalonicenses 4

BLIVRE · Chapter 4/5

1Portanto, irmãos, no restante, vos rogamos e exortamos no Senhor Jesus, que, assim como recebestes de nós como deveis andar e agradar a Deus, que façais [assim] cada vez mais.

2Pois vós sabeis quais mandamentos vos demos pelo Senhor Jesus.

3Pois esta é a vontade de Deus: a vossa santificação, que não pratiqueis pecado sexual;

4que cada um de vós saiba ser ter o seu instrumento em santidade e honra;

5não na paixão do desejo malicioso, como os gentios que não conhecem Deus.

6Ninguém oprima ou engane ao seu irmão nisso, porque o Senhor é vingador de todas essas coisas, como também antes vos dissemos e demos testemunho.

7Pois Deus não nos chamou para a impureza, mas sim para a santificação.

8Portanto quem rejeita [isso] , rejeita não ao ser humano, mas sim a Deus, que nos deu também o seu Espírito Santo.

9Mas quanto ao amor fraternal, não precisais que eu vos escreva, pois vós mesmos estais instruídos por Deus que vos ameis uns aos outros.

10Pois, de fato, [já] fazeis assim a todos os irmãos de toda a Macedônia. Porém, irmãos, vos exortamos que façais[isso] ainda mais.

11E procurai viver quietos, trantando dos vossos próprios assuntos, e trabalhando com as vossas próprias mãos, como já vos mandamos;

12para que andeis de maneira respeitosa com os que estão de fora, e não necessiteis de nada.

13Mas irmãos, não quero que desconheçais acerca dos que morreram, para que não vos entristeçais como os outros que não têm esperança.

14Pois, se cremos que Jesus morreu e ressuscitou, assim também aos que morreram em Jesus, Deus os trará de volta com ele.

15Pois dizemos isto pela palavra do Senhor, que nós, os que ficarmos vivos até a vinda do Senhor, não iremos antes dos que morreram.

16Pois o mesmo Senhor descerá do céu com grande aclamação, com voz de arcanjo, e com trombeta de Deus; e os que morreram em Cristo ressuscitarão primeiro;

17Em seguida nós, os que ficarmos vivos, seremos arrebatados juntamente com eles nas nuvens, para encontrar o Senhor no ar, e assim estaremos com o Senhor para sempre.

18Portanto consolai-vos uns aos outros com essas palavras.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Paul urges the Thessalonians to live in holiness, mutual respect, and honest work. He also comforts those who feared for the fate of those who had already died, teaching about the hope of resurrection at Christ's return.

Explanation

Some in the church were distressed, thinking that Christians who died before Jesus' return would miss out on the blessing of the resurrection. Paul clarifies that death is not the end of hope: the dead in Christ will rise first, and the living will be reunited with them. This teaching, traditionally known as the 'rapture,' uses trumpet and cloud imagery common to Jewish apocalyptic descriptions to convey victory and reunion. The practical application is to live with purity and honest work while awaiting this hope, without excessive anxiety over the death of loved ones in the faith.

Fun facts

  • The Greek word for 'caught up' (harpazo) gave rise to the Latin term 'raptura,' from which comes the word 'rapture' used in many Christian translations and traditions.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:1Paul shifts to practical instructions: he asks the Thessalonians to keep growing in the way of life they had already learned, one that pleases God.
  2. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:2Paul reminds them that these instructions are not his own invention, but commands already given with the authority of the Lord Jesus Himself.
  3. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:3Paul states directly what God wants from Christians, sanctification, and starts applying it to sexual conduct: staying away from sexual immorality.
  4. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:4‘Vessel’ is an expression used for the body itself, comparing the person to a container that should be treated with respect — in this context, specifically regarding sexual conduct. Paul asks that each person treat their own body with control and dignity, unlike the common sexual customs among the Gentiles of the time that he mentions right after.
  5. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:5Paul contrasts the behavior expected of Christians with the common pattern among the Gentiles of the time, described as driven by uncontrolled desire, without knowing God.
  6. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:6Paul extends the sexual instruction to matters of honesty in business: not taking advantage of or cheating a brother, because God will judge this, just as they had already been warned.
  7. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:7Paul sums up God’s calling as an invitation to purity, not impurity, reinforcing the central theme of the passage.
  8. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:8Paul raises the weight of these instructions: rejecting them isn’t dismissing some ordinary human advice, it’s dismissing God Himself, who gave the Holy Spirit to believers.
  9. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:9‘Brotherly love’ describes the mutual care between brothers and sisters in the faith, a kind of affection that went beyond ordinary social courtesy — closer to the bond expected within a blood family. Paul says the Thessalonians had already learned this on their own, without needing extra instruction.
  10. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:10Paul acknowledges that the Thessalonians already practice brotherly love toward the whole region of Macedonia, but asks them to keep growing even more in this.
  11. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:11Paul gives a specific practical piece of advice: to live quietly, mind their own business, and work with their own hands, instead of depending on others.
  12. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:12Paul explains the purpose of this advice: to earn the respect of outsiders and not need to depend on anyone to survive.
  13. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:13‘Asleep’ was a common way of talking about death, used by both Jews and Greeks, without denying that the person was really dead. The Thessalonians were distressed because some in the church had already died before the return of Christ they expected to see soon, and they feared those believers had missed out on something; Paul writes the rest of the chapter to reassure them about this.
  14. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:14Paul begins answering the Thessalonians’ question about those who have already died: since Jesus died and rose again, those who died in Him will also be brought back with Him.
  15. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:15Paul assures them, with the authority of a direct word from the Lord, that those who are alive at Christ’s return will not go ahead of those who have already died.
  16. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:16A trumpet was used both to gather troops and to announce important events, and the archangel’s voice reinforces that this is a solemn announcement coming from heaven. Paul piles up these sound images to describe Christ’s visible, loud arrival, the opposite of something quiet or hidden.
  17. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:17The image here recalls a custom of the time: when an emperor or important official arrived in a city, residents would go out to meet him on the road and escort him back within the walls. Paul describes Christians, living and resurrected, going out to meet Christ the same way, and then continuing on with Him — not going up never to return.
  18. 1 Tessalonicenses 4:18Paul closes his teaching on Christ’s coming by asking them to use these words, focused on reunion and hope, to comfort one another.

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