First Letter to the Thessalonians

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so those who have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first,

then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.

Therefore comfort one another with these words.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you.

For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.

For when they are saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

But you, brothers, aren't in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief.

You are all sons of light, and sons of the day. We don't belong to the night, nor to darkness,

so then let's not sleep, as the rest do, but let's watch and be sober.

For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunken are drunken in the night.

But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation.