Brothers and sisters, we have something to say about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We want to talk to you about that time when we will meet together with him.
Men from Judah’s family will be kings.
The sign that his family rules
will not leave his family,
before the real king comes. [257] Then many people will obey
and serve him.
The Son of Man {\cf2\super [235]} will come again with his Father’s glory and with his angels. At that time, the Son of Man will reward each person for the things he has done.
All the people of the world will be gathered before the Son of Man. Then the Son of Man will separate all people into two groups. This is like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
So brothers and sisters, I beg you to do something. God has shown us great mercy. So offer your lives as a living sacrifice {\cf2\super [130]} to God. Your offering must be only for God and will be pleasing to him. This offering of yourselves is the spiritual way for you to worship (serve) God.
God’s goal was to finish his plan when the right time came. God planned that all things in heaven and on earth be joined together with Christ as the head.
We pray this so that your hearts will be made strong. Then you will be holy {\cf2\super [11]} and without fault before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy people.
Brothers and sisters, now I have some other things to tell you. We taught you how to live in a way that will please God. And you are living that way. Now we ask you and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live that way more and more.
We thank God for you always. And we should do that because that is right for us to do. It is right because your faith is growing more and more. And the love that every one of you has for each other is also growing.
Before God and Jesus Christ I give you a command. Christ Jesus is the One who will judge the people who are living and the people who have died. Jesus has a kingdom, and he is coming again. So I give you this command: