1 Thessalonians 4:3

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

For it is God’s will that you should be dedicated to Him, [that is], you should avoid sexual immorality.

Cross References

Matthew 15:19

For evil thoughts, murder, extramarital affairs, sexual immorality, stealing, perjury, slander --- [all these] come from a person’s heart,

Matthew 5:32

But I say to you, every person who divorces his wife makes her become sexually unfaithful to him [i.e., since she will probably marry someone else], unless the reason for the divorce is that she had [already] become sexually unfaithful to him. And whoever marries a woman who has been divorced commits sexual sin with her [i.e., because she is still rightfully married to her first husband].

Matthew 7:21

“Not every person who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but [only] that person who does what my Father in heaven requires.

Mark 3:35

For whoever will do what God wants, that person is my brother, and sister and mother.”

John 4:34

Jesus answered them; “My food is doing what God, who sent me, wants me to, and accomplishing His work.

John 7:17

If anyone [really] desires to do what God wants, he will know whether my teaching comes from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority [only].

Acts 15:20

but to write [urging] them to avoid [eating] what is contaminated by [its association with] idol worship, from sexual immorality, from [eating] strangled animals and from [drinking] blood.

Acts 15:29

Avoid [eating] things sacrificed to idols; avoid [drinking] blood; avoid [eating] things [that were] strangled [to death] and avoid sexual immorality. If you avoid [all] these things, you will be doing well. Goodbye.”

Acts 20:32

“Now I commit you [elders] to God and to the message of His unearned favor which can build you up [spiritually] and provide you with the inheritance [of never ending life], along with others who are [specially] set apart [for God].

Acts 26:18

to open their eyes [to the truth] so they will turn from darkness to light and from the power [i.e., the influence] of Satan to God. [Then] they can receive the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance [of never ending life], along with [all] those who are set apart [for God] by trusting in Me.’

Romans 1:29

They are full of all kinds of wickedness, evil, greed, and maliciousness. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,

Romans 12:2

And you people must not be conformed to [the values and standards of] this age, but you should become transformed [i.e., changed in attitude and action] by having your mind renewed [i.e., to think in a totally different way]. Then you will be able to determine [and practice] God’s will, the thing that is good, and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 6:22

But now, since you have been freed from [the practice of] sin and have become slaves to God, the benefits you receive are a holy life [here] and never ending life in the future.

1 Corinthians 1:30

But God brought you into [fellowship with] Christ Jesus, who was made to be God’s wisdom for us. Through Christ you have received a right relationship with God, [as well as] holiness and redemption [i.e., being bought back from Satan].

1 Corinthians 7:2

But, because of so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

2 Corinthians 12:21

I am afraid that, when I come, my God will humiliate me in front of you, and I will be grieved over many [of those] who have sinned in the past without repenting of the [moral] impurity, sexual immorality and unrestrained indecency they have practiced.

Galatians 5:19

Now those things done by the sinful, physical nature [of a person] are evident; they are these: sexual immorality, moral impurity, indecent conduct,

Ephesians 5:17

Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Ephesians 6:6

Do not serve them only when you are being watched, just to gain their approval, but as slaves of Christ, doing what God wants from your heart.

Colossians 1:9

So, this is why, since the day we heard about these things, we do not stop praying for you and requesting that you people be filled [by God] with the knowledge of what He wants [for your lives], and with spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Colossians 3:5

So, put to death [i.e., stop practicing] the desires of your physical bodies [such as] sexual immorality, [moral] impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is [in reality] idolatry.

Colossians 4:12

Epaphras, who is one of you [See 1:7; 4:9], a slave of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always struggles in his prayers on your behalf so that you will remain mature and be fully convinced [that you are living] by all that God wants [for your life].

1 Thessalonians 4:2

For you know [i.e., are aware of] the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:4

Each of you should know how to control his own body in a dedicated and honorable way,

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Thank [God] for everything, for this is what God wants for you in [the fellowship of] Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

And may God Himself, who gives peace, dedicate you completely, and may your spirit, soul and body [i.e., your entire person] be kept without just blame at [i.e., until] the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:13

But we ought to thank God for you always, brothers [who are] dearly loved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning [Note: Some manuscripts use the Greek word for “first fruits” instead of “beginning” here, but it is difficult to know in what sense the Thessalonian Christians were “first”], in order to be saved through being set apart by the Holy Spirit and through belief of the truth [of the Gospel].

Titus 2:14

He gave Himself up for us, to buy us back from [enslavement to] all [kinds of] wickedness and to purify for Himself a group of people who belong to Him and who are eager to do good deeds.

Hebrews 10:36

For you need to be steadfast so that, after you have done what God wants, you will receive the promise [of an inheritance. See 9:15].

Hebrews 12:16

and that no one becomes immoral or ungodly, like Esau, who sold his right to the firstborn son’s inheritance for a single meal.

Hebrews 13:21

equip you with every good deed for doing God’s will. [May He] work in us [to accomplish] what is very pleasing in His sight through [the power of] Jesus Christ. May there be praise to Him forever and ever. May it be so.

Hebrews 13:4

Marriage should be considered honorable among all people and its sexual responsibilities should be faithfully kept. For God will judge [and condemn] those people who are sexually immoral and who are sexually unfaithful to their mates.

1 Peter 1:2

These people have been [specially] selected, and [their acceptance was] pre-planned by God the Father, and they were set apart through [the work of] the Holy Spirit. This resulted in their obedience and sprinkling [Note: This is a figurative reference to the Old Testament practice of cleansing, See Exodus 24:7-8] by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God’s unearned favor and peace be continually upon you.

1 Peter 4:2

So then, you should no longer live the rest of your lives [to satisfy] the sinful desires of your body, but to do what God wants.

1 John 2:17

And the world, with its [physical and material] desires, is passing away, but the person who does what God wants will continue to live forever.

Revelation 21:8

But the place for cowards, and unbelievers, and disgusting people [i.e., because of their terrible sins], and murderers, and sexually immoral people, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will be the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

Revelation 22:15

On the outside [of the city] are the dogs [Note: This probably refers to people who practiced sexual perversions. See Deut. 23:17] and the sorcerers, and the sexually immoral people, and the murderers, and the idolaters and every person who loves and practices falsehood.