Chapter 5

  And concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need of my writing to you,  

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  for yourselves have known thoroughly that the day of the Lord as a thief in the night doth so come,  

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  for when they may say, Peace and surety, then sudden destruction doth stand by them, as the travail [doth] her who is with child, and they shall not escape;  

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  and ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day may catch you as a thief;  

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  all ye are sons of light, and sons of day; we are not of night, nor of darkness,  

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  so, then, we may not sleep as also the others, but watch and be sober,  

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  for those sleeping, by night do sleep, and those making themselves drunk, by night are drunken,  

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  and we, being of the day -- let us be sober, putting on a breastplate of faith and love, and an helmet -- a hope of salvation,  

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  because God did not appoint us to anger, but to the acquiring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,  

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  who did die for us, that whether we wake -- whether we sleep -- together with him we may live;  

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  wherefore, comfort ye one another, and build ye up, one the one, as also ye do.  

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  And we ask you, brethren, to know those labouring among you, and leading you in the Lord, and admonishing you,  

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  and to esteem them very abundantly in love, because of their work; be at peace among yourselves;  

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  and we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the infirm, be patient unto all;  

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  see no one evil for evil may render to any one, but always that which is good pursue ye, both to one another and to all;  

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  always rejoice ye;  

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  continually pray ye;  

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  in every thing give thanks, for this [is] the will of God in Christ Jesus in regard to you.  

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  The Spirit quench not;  

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  prophesyings despise not;  

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  all things prove; that which is good hold fast;  

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  from all appearance of evil abstain ye;  

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  and the God of the peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved unblameably in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ;  

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  stedfast is He who is calling you, who also will do [it].  

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  Brethren, pray for us;  

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  salute all the brethren in an holy kiss;  

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  I charge you [by] the Lord, that the letter be read to all the holy brethren;  

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  the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [is] with you! Amen.  

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