Bible

1 Thessalonians 4:3-12

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3It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4that each of you should learn to control your own body Or learn to live with your own wife; or learn to acquire a wife in a way that is holy and honorable, 5not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

8Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. 9Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,

12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.