Online Texts for Craig White's Literature Courses

  • Not a critical or scholarly text but a reading text for a seminar

  • Gratefully adapted from New King James Version of the Bible

1 Thessalonians 4: 15-17

from the New Testament of the Bible

describing

"The Rapture"


popular art depicting the Rapture

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

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

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

[Compare "Little Revelation" of Matthew 24:30 regarding "the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" and Revelation 1: 7 "Behold, he cometh with clouds."]