## the Lord himself will descend ##

"the Lord himself will come down"

## the archangel ##

"the chief angel"

## the dead in Christ will rise first ##

"those who believe in Jesus Christ, but who have died, will rise first"

## we who are alive ##

The pronoun "we" refers to all believers. (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-inclusive]])

## with them ##

The pronoun "them" refers to the the deceased believers who have been made alive and have already risen to be with Jesus.

## caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air ##

"meet the Lord Jesus in the sky"