1 Thessalonians 4:1-9

1Now then, brothers and sisters, because of the Lord Jesus we ask and encourage you to excel in living a God-pleasing life even more than you already do. Do this the way we taught you.

2You know what orders we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

3It is God’s will that you keep away from sexual sin as a mark of your devotion to him.

4Each of you should know that finding a husband or wife for yourself is to be done in a holy and honorable way,

5not in the passionate, lustful way of people who don’t know God.

6No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this.

7God didn’t call us to be sexually immoral but to be holy.

8Therefore, whoever rejects this ⌞order⌟ is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

9You don’t need anyone to write to you about the way Christians should love each other. God has taught you to love each other.