Advice on Daily Life

4 Further, friends, we beg and urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus to carry out more fully than ever – as indeed you are already doing – all that you have heard from us as to what your daily life must be, if it is to please God. 2 For you have not forgotten the directions that we gave you on the authority of our Lord Jesus.

3 For this is God’s purpose – that you should be pure; abstaining from all immorality; 4 each of you learning to gain control over your own body, in a way that is holy and honourable, 5 and not for the mere gratification of your passions, like the Gentiles who know nothing of God; 6 none of you overreaching or taking advantage of their fellow follower of the Lord in such matters. The Lord takes vengeance on all who do such things, as we have already warned you and solemnly declared. 7 For God does not call us to an impure life, but demands holiness. 8 Therefore the person who disregards this warning disregards, not people, but God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

9 As to love for each other there is no need to write to you; for you have yourselves been taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do act in this spirit towards all his people throughout Macedonia.

Yet, friends, we beg you to do even more. 11 Make it your ambition to live quietly, and to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we directed you; 12 so that your conduct may win respect from those outside the church, and that you may not want for anything.