1 Thessalonians 4:14

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that ¹  God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians. ² 

Ge 49:19; Isa 26:19; Zec 14:15; Mt 24:31; Ro 8:11; 1Co 15:12-23; 1Co 15:18; 1Co 15:23; 2Co 4:13,14; Php 3:20,21; 1Th 3:13; 1Th 4:13; 1Th 4:17; 2Th 2:1; Jude 1:14,15; Re 1:18; Re 14:13

¹ tn “we believe that” is understood from the first clause of the verse, which is parallel. Grk “so also God will bring.”

² tn Grk “those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.” It is possible that “through Jesus” describes “bring,” but this gives the unlikely double reference, “through Jesus God will bring them with Jesus.” Instead it describes their “falling sleep,” since through him their death is only sleep and not the threat it once was. Also Christians are those whose total existence – life and death – is in and through and for Christ (1 Cor 8:6).