1 Thessalonians 4:13

11 and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.

12 Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.

Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.

14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

15 By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.
KJV
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
WEB
But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
ASV
But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.
DARBY
But we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are fallen asleep, to the end that ye be not grieved even as also the rest who have no hope.
BLB
But we do not want you⁺ to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those having fallen asleep, so that you⁺ should not be grieved, just as also the rest, those having no hope.
ÅB
Men vi vil ikke, brødre, at dere skal være uvitende om de hensovede, for at dere ikke skal sørge slik som de andre, som ikke har håp.
OTB
Men vi vil ikke at dere skal være uvitende, brødre og søstre, om dem som har gått bort, slik at dere ikke sørger som resten av menneskeheten, som ikke har noe håp.
B1930
Men vi vil ikke, brødre, at I skal være uvitende om de hensovede, forat I ikke skal sørge således som de andre, som ikke har håp.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Daniel 12:2

    And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.

    Read in context
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:15

    By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.

    Read in context
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:10

    He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.

    Read in context
  • 1 Corinthians 15:18–19

    Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

    Read in context
  • 2 Peter 3:4

    “Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”

    Read in context
  • Acts 7:60

    Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

    Read in context
  • Ephesians 2:12

    remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

    Read in context
  • 1 Corinthians 15:6

    After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

    Read in context