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OET (OET-LV) For/Because this to_you_all we_are_saying in the_message of_the_master, that we the ones living, which being_remaining to the coming of_the master, by_no_means not may_precede the ones having_been_fallen_asleep.
OET (OET-RV) So this is what we’re saying in Yahweh’s message: those who are still living when the master returns, we certainly won’t precede those who’ve already died
Paul explained that when the Lord Jesus returns, God will cause both the Christians who have died and those who will still be alive to ascend to meet the Lord Jesus in the sky. He also explained how the Thessalonians should behave as they waited for the Lord to return.
While Paul was in Thessalonica, he had probably taught the Thessalonians that Jesus would soon return, and the Thessalonians may have assumed that they would all survive until then. But as time passed, some of them died. Those who remained alive had begun to worry whether those believers who had died would see Jesus return. This is the issue Paul was addressing in this paragraph.
By the word of the Lord, we declare to you
It is what the Lord Jesus himself has said that we(excl) are telling you:
By the word of the Lord, we declare to you: Paul explained that Jesus himself spoke the words that he was telling them.It can only be guessed which of the following Paul was referring to: (1) Sayings of Jesus that had been written down, and which were later included in the Gospels. Matthew 24:30–31 is an example. (2) A message from Jesus received directly by Paul. (3) “Sayings of Jesus” which were recorded by someone, but which were not included in the Gospels. The problem is that not everything Paul taught in these verses is found in the Gospels in their present form. So it must be that Paul learned from both sources (1) and (2). See the discussion on this in Best, pp. 189–193. However, we do not know when Jesus said this or to whom. Therefore, you should not be specific in your translation. If you must say to whom Jesus said this, use as general a term as possible, for example, “according to what the Lord said to people.”
that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord
we(incl) who are still alive when the Lord Jesus returns
that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord: This refers to any believer who was alive at the time when Paul was writing and therefore who might still be alive when Jesus returned.
will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.
will certainly not meet him before those believers who have already died.
will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep: The BSB phrase by no means translates two different Greek words that both mean “not.” When both occur together, they make the sentence an emphatic negative. Paul was emphasizing that believers who had died would certainly not get left behind when the Lord returned. This was what the Thessalonians had been worrying about.
precede: This means that believers who are alive when Jesus returns will not meet Jesus before those who have already died.
those who have fallen asleep: See the note on 4:13a.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
γὰρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τοῦτο Γάρ ὑμῖν λέγομεν ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου ὅτι ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι εἰς τήν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου οὒ μή φθάσωμεν τούς κοιμηθέντας)
Here, the word For introduces a further explanation of what Paul has said about believers who have died. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a further explanation, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: [Further,] or [Indeed,]
Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns
τοῦτο & ὑμῖν λέγομεν ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου, ὅτι
this & ˱to˲_you_all ˱we˲_˓are˒_saying in ˓the˒_word ˱of˲_˓the˒_Lord that
Here, the word this refers to what Paul introduces with the word that. This form emphasizes what Paul is about to say. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different form that introduces what a person is about to say. Alternate translation: [we say to you in a word of the Lord that] or [here is what we say to you in a word of the Lord:]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive
λέγομεν & ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες
˱we˲_˓are˒_saying & we the_‹ones› living
Here, the word we in the phrase we say only includes Paul and his fellow workers. It does not include the Thessalonians. However, the word we in the phrase we, the ones living does include the Thessalonians. Make sure that this is clear if your language marks these distinctions.
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
λόγῳ
˓the˒_word
Paul is using the term word to mean a message that is shared by using words. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [a message] or [words]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
λόγῳ Κυρίου
˓the˒_word ˱of˲_˓the˒_Lord
Here, Paul is using the possessive form to describe a word that could be: (1) something that the Lord said. Alternate translation: [a word from the Lord] or [a word spoken by the Lord] (2) authorized by the Lord. Alternate translation: [a word that the Lord approves] or [a word that has the Lord’s authority]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / distinguish
ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες, οἱ περιλειπόμενοι
we the_‹ones› living ¬which ˓being˒_remaining
Here, the phrases the ones living and the ones surviving distinguish we from other people. Be sure that this distinction is clear in your translation. Alternate translation: [we, by which I mean those of us who live, who survive]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
εἰς τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου
to (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τοῦτο Γάρ ὑμῖν λέγομεν ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου ὅτι ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι εἰς τήν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου οὒ μή φθάσωμεν τούς κοιμηθέντας)
Here, the phrase the coming of the Lord refers to the specific time in the future when Jesus will come back to earth, judge everyone, punish unbelievers, and reward believers. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. See how you translated the similar phrase in [3:13](../03/13.md). Alternate translation: [until when the Lord comes back to earth] or [to the return of our Lord to us]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives
οὐ μὴ φθάσωμεν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τοῦτο Γάρ ὑμῖν λέγομεν ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου ὅτι ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι εἰς τήν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου οὒ μή φθάσωμεν τούς κοιμηθέντας)
The words translated certainly not are two negative words. In this construction, the second negative does not cancel the first to create a positive meaning. Instead, it gives greater emphasis to the negative. If your language can use two negatives that do not cancel one another to create a positive meaning, you could use a double negative here. If your language does not use two negatives in that way, you could translate with one strong negative, as the ULT does. Alternate translation: [will by no means go before]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
οὐ μὴ φθάσωμεν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τοῦτο Γάρ ὑμῖν λέγομεν ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου ὅτι ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι εἰς τήν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου οὒ μή φθάσωμεν τούς κοιμηθέντας)
Here, the phrase will certainly not go before indicates that people who are alive when Jesus comes back will not meet him first. Instead, believers who have died will meet him first, and then believers who are alive will meet him. Paul explains this further in the following verse (see [4:16](../04/16.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [will certainly not go to Jesus before] or [will certainly not be with Jesus before]
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism
τοὺς κοιμηθέντας
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τοῦτο Γάρ ὑμῖν λέγομεν ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου ὅτι ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι εἰς τήν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου οὒ μή φθάσωμεν τούς κοιμηθέντας)
See how you translated the similar phrase in [4:13–14](../04/13.md). Alternate translation: [the ones having passed away] or [the ones who are dead]
OET (OET-LV) For/Because this to_you_all we_are_saying in the_message of_the_master, that we the ones living, which being_remaining to the coming of_the master, by_no_means not may_precede the ones having_been_fallen_asleep.
OET (OET-RV) So this is what we’re saying in Yahweh’s message: those who are still living when the master returns, we certainly won’t precede those who’ve already died
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.