1A kada će se sve to dogoditi, ne trebam vam pisati 2jer i sami dobro znate da će Dan Gospodnji doći neočekivano, kao tat u noći. 3Dok ljudi još budu govorili: “Sve je mirno i sigurno”, snaći će ih iznenada propast kao trudnicu trudovi. I neće umaknuti.
4Ali vi, braćo draga, niste u tami da bi vas Dan Gospodnji zaskočio kao tat. 5Djeca ste svjetla i dana; ne pripadate tami i noći. 6Ne spavajmo zato kao ostali, već bdijmo i budimo trijezni. 7Spava se i opija noću. 8Ali budimo trijezni, mi koji pripadamo danu. Obucimo oklop vjere i ljubavi, stavimo kacigu—nadu spasenja. 9Jer Bog nam nije namijenio svoj gnjev, nego spasenje po našemu Gospodinu Isusu Kristu, 10koji je umro za nas da možemo zauvijek živjeti s njime, zatekao nas njegov dolazak žive ili umrle. 11Tješite se zato međusobno i izgrađujte jedni druge, kao što već i činite.
Završne upute
12Molimo vas, draga braćo, da poštujete svoje starješine u djelu Gospodnjem. Oni naporno rade među vama i opominju vas. 13Cijenite ih i volite zbog njihova rada. Živite u miru jedni s drugima!
14Potičemo vas, braćo: opominjite lijene, hrabrite malodušne, pomažite slabima, budite strpljivi prema svima!
15Pazite da tko kome ne uzvrati zlo za zlo, nego se uvijek trudite činiti dobro svima.
16Uvijek se radujte!
17Molite se bez prestanka!
18Zahvaljujte Bogu ma što vas snašlo jer je to za vas Božja volja u Kristu Isusu.
19Ne trnite Svetoga Duha.
20Ne prezrite proroštva, 21nego sve provjeravajte i prihvatite što je dobro. 22Klonite se svakoga zla.
Posljednji pozdravi
23Neka vas sam Bog, izvor mira, potpuno posveti i neka cijelo vaše biće—duh, dušu i tijelo—očuva besprijekornima za dolazak našega Gospodina Isusa Krista. 24Vjeran je Bog koji vas je pozvao. On će to i učiniti.
25Draga braćo i sestre, molite se za nas.
26Pozdravite svu braću svetim cjelovom.
27Zaklinjem vas u Gospodinu: pročitajte ovu poslanicu svoj braći.
28Neka je milost našega Gospodina Isusa Krista sa svima vama.
The Day of the Lord Is Coming
1Brothers and sisters, we don’t have to write to you about times and dates. 2You know very well how the day of the Lord will come. It will come like a thief in the night. 3People will be saying that everything is peaceful and safe. Then suddenly they will be destroyed. It will happen like birth pains coming on a pregnant woman. None of the people will escape.
4Brothers and sisters, you are not in darkness. So that day should not surprise you as a thief would. 5All of you are children of the light. You are children of the day. We don’t belong to the night. We don’t belong to the darkness. 6So let us not be like the others. They are asleep. Instead, let us be wide awake and in full control of ourselves. 7Those who sleep, sleep at night. Those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8But we belong to the day. So let us control ourselves. Let us put on our chest the armor of faith and love. Let us put on the hope of salvation like a helmet. 9God didn’t choose us to receive his anger. He chose us to receive salvation because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done. 10Jesus died for us. Some will be alive when he comes. Others will be dead. Either way, we will live together with him. 11So encourage one another with the hope you have. Build each other up. In fact, that’s what you are doing.
Final Teachings
12Brothers and sisters, we ask you to accept the godly leaders who work hard among you. They care for you in the Lord. They correct you. 13Have a lot of respect for them. Love them because of what they do. Live in peace with one another. 14Brothers and sisters, we are asking you to warn certain people. These people don’t want to work. Instead, they make trouble. We are also asking you to encourage those who have lost hope. Help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that no one pays back one wrong act with another. Instead, always try to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16Always be joyful. 17Never stop praying. 18Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank him because you believe in Christ Jesus.
19Don’t try to stop what the Holy Spirit is doing. 20Don’t treat prophecies as if they weren’t important. 21But test all prophecies. Hold on to what is good. 22Say no to every kind of evil.
23God is the God who gives peace. May he make you holy through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept free from blame. May you be without blame from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 24The God who has chosen you is faithful. He will do all these things.
25Brothers and sisters, pray for us.
26Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.
27While the Lord is watching, here is what I command you. Have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.
28May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
