1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The Coming of the Lord

¹³ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, _g that you may not grieve as others do _h who have no hope. ¹⁴ For _i since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him _j those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁵ For this we declare to you _k by a word from the Lord, ₁ that _l we who are alive, who are left until _m the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For _n the Lord himself will descend _o from heaven _p with a cry of command, with the voice of _q an archangel, and _r with the sound of the trumpet of God. And _s the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be _t caught up together with them _u in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so _v we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1. Cross References
   Leviticus 19:28
   You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.
   Deuteronomy 14:1
   You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead.
   2 Samuel 12:20 - 23
   Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate.
   Mark 5:39
   And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.
   
2. Cross References
   Ephesians 2:12
   Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
   
3. Cross References
   1 Corinthians 15:13
   But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
   2 Corinthians 4:14
   Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
   Revelation 1:18
   And the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
   
4. Cross References
   1 Corinthians 15:18
   Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
   
5. Cross References
   1 Kings 13:17
   For it was said to me by the word of the Lord, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.'
   
6. Cross References
   1 Corinthians 15:51
   Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.
   
7. Cross References
   1 Thessalonians 2:19
   For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
   
8. Cross References
   Matthew 16:27
   For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
   
9. Cross References
   2 Thessalonians 1:7
   And to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels
   
10. Cross References
    Joel 2:11
    The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?
    
11. Cross References
    Jude 1:9
    But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you.
    
12. Cross References
    Matthew 24:31
    And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
    1 Corinthians 15:52
    In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
    
13. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 15:23
    But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
    2 Thessalonians 2:1
    Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers.
    Revelation 14:13
    And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!
    
14. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 12:2
    I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.
    
15. Cross References
    Daniel 7:13
    I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
    Acts 1:9
    And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
    Revelation 11:12
    Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.
    
16. Cross References
    John 12:26
    If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.