11. Do all you can to live a peaceful life. Take care of your own business. Do your own work. We have already told you to do these things.
12. If you do, then people who are not believers will respect you. And you will not have to depend on others for what you need.
13. Brothers, we want you to know about those who have died. We do not want you to be sad as others who have no hope.
14. We believe that Jesus died and that he rose again. So, because of Jesus, God will bring together with Jesus those who have died.
15. What we tell you now is the Lord’s own message. We who are living now may still be living when the Lord comes again. We who are living at that time will be with the Lord, but not before those who have already died.
16. The Lord himself will come down from heaven. There will be a loud command with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. And those who have died and were in Christ will rise first.
17. After that, those who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with them. We will be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever.
18. So comfort each other with these words.