1 Thessalonians 4:17

The return of Christ Eternal life Hope Heaven and the new creation

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.

¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.

After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

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

Compare

BSB: After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
KJV: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
WEB: 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.
ASV: then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
DARBY: then *we*, the living who remain, shall be caught up together with them in [the] clouds, to meet the Lord in [the] air; and thus we shall be always with [the] Lord.
BLB: Then we, the living remaining, will be caught up together with them in the clouds for the meeting of the Lord in the air; and so we will be always with the Lord.

ÅB: deretter skal vi som lever, som blir tilbake, sammen med dem rykkes i skyer opp i luften for å møte Herren, og så skal vi alltid være med Herren.
OTB: Deretter skal vi som er i live og blir igjen, bli rykket opp sammen med dem i skyene for å møte Herren i luften, og slik skal vi alltid være med Herren.
B1930: derefter skal vi som lever, som blir tilbake, sammen med dem rykkes i skyer op i luften for å møte Herren, og så skal vi alltid være med Herren.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Corinthians 15:52
in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Read in context
Revelation 11:12
And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.
Read in context
John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
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
Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
Read in context
Revelation 7:14–17
“Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Read in context
Daniel 7:13
In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
Read in context
John 17:24
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
Read in context