1. There is no need to write to you, brothers and sisters, about the times and occasions when these things will happen.
2. For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come as a thief comes at night.
3. When people say, “Everything is quiet and safe,” then suddenly destruction will hit them! It will come as suddenly as the pains that come upon a woman in labour, and people will not escape.
4. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness, and the Day should not take you by surprise like a thief.
5. All of you are people who belong to the light, who belong to the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
6. So then, we should not be sleeping like the others; we should be awake and sober.
7. It is at night that people sleep; it is at night that they get drunk.
8. But we belong to the day, and we should be sober. We must wear faith and love as a breastplate, and our hope of salvation as a helmet.
9. God did not choose us to suffer his anger, but to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10. who died for us in order that we might live together with him, whether we are alive or dead when he comes.
11. And so encourage one another and help one another, just as you are now doing.
12. We beg you, our brothers and sisters, to pay proper respect to those who work among you, who guide and instruct you in the Christian life.
13. Treat them with the greatest respect and love because of the work they do. Be at peace among yourselves.
14. We urge you, our brothers and sisters, to warn the idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.