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Christians have to be ready for Jesus to come back
1 And now, Christian friends, think about the time when Jesus will come back. We don’t need to write to you about times and dates. 2 You already know about that day when our leader, Jesus, will come back. You know it will come suddenly, and people will get a big shock. They will not be ready for it, like nobody is ready for a robber to come in the night to steal things.* 3 You know, people will be saying, “We are safe. There’s no trouble here.” But then that big trouble will come really quickly, and they will not be ready for it. God will use that big trouble to punish them. It will be like what happens when a woman has a baby, she suddenly gets pain, and then her baby starts to come, and nobody can stop it. That big trouble will be just like that. It will come to people suddenly, and they will not get away from it.
4 But, Christian friends, you aren’t like other people that don’t listen to what God says. It is like they are living in the dark all the time. When that trouble day comes, you will not get a shock, like people do when a robber comes to steal their things at night. 5 You listen to what God says. It’s like you belong to the light, and you belong to the day time. You aren’t people that belong to the night time or the dark. 6 So don’t be like other people that aren’t ready for Jesus to come back, like they are asleep. Instead, you have to think properly about what is happening, like people that are awake. 7 You know, night time is the time when people go to sleep, or maybe they get drunk, so they can’t think properly. 8 But we belong to the day time, so we have to think properly. We have to keep on loving God and trusting him to save us. When we do that, it will make us strong for God, like when soldiers put on special clothes made out of iron, to stop the enemy from hurting them.*
9-10 You see, God picked us to save us, not to get angry with us. Our leader, Jesus Christ, died for us, so now God can save us and give us new life. After Jesus comes back, we will live with him for ever. Maybe we will die before he comes, or maybe we will still be alive. It will not matter, because God will give us all new life, and we will all live with Jesus for ever. 11 So then, tell those things to each other, and help each other to become stronger for God, not sad and weak. And yes, I know that you are doing that already.
Some things to do and some things not to do
12 Now, Christian friends, here are a few more things we really want you to do.
– Respect the people among you that work hard for God. They lead you, his people, and teach you how to live the right way. 13 They work for God, so respect them, and love them a lot.
– And don’t argue with each other.
– 14 And the next thing, friends, tell lazy people that they have to work.
– And if somebody is frightened, talk to them in a way that helps them to be brave.
– And help anybody that is weak.
– And don’t get angry with anyone, keep on trying to help them.
– 15 If somebody does something bad to you, don’t try to do payback to them, but always try to be good to each other and to everyone else too.
16 And we want you to do these things too.
– Always be happy.
– 17 Be ready to pray to God at any time.
– 18 Always thank God, no matter what happens to you.
You see, you belong to Jesus Christ, so God wants you to do those things. 19 And we want you to do some more things too.
– Don’t stop God’s spirit working in you.
– 20 Don’t rubbish God’s messages, 21 but listen carefully when anyone tells you a message from God. Think carefully about everything they say, and find out if it really comes from God. Then, if it is right, be careful to remember it and to do those good things. 22 But if it is wrong, or if it tells you to do a bad thing, don’t do it. Keep away from every sort of bad thing, and don’t listen to messages that don’t come from God.
The end of this letter
23 God is the one that helps people to be happy and quiet inside themselves. I want that for you, and I’m asking God himself to clean you properly inside, so that you will be his special people. I want God to help you be properly good in every way, with your body, and your spirit, and also that part inside you that thinks and that gives you your feelings. Yes, God can clean you and help you be properly good, so that at the time when our leader, Jesus Christ, comes back, God will not blame you for doing anything wrong. 24 Yes, God will make you properly clean inside. He picked you to be his people, and he always does what he promised to do.
25 And now, my Christian friends, I’m asking you to pray for us. 26 And whenever you meet other Christians, show them that you know they are special, and that you are happy to see them.
27 Now listen. I want you to promise me that you will read this letter to all the Christians there. And our leader, Jesus, will be listening to you promise that.
28 And now I ask our leader, Jesus Christ, to be with you and to be very good to you.
From Paul
* 5:2 Matthew 24:43; Luke 12:39; 2 Peter 3:10 * 5:8 Isaiah 59:17; Ephesians 6:13-17