Interesting,
Acts 1:9-11 ESV /
And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
1 Thessalonians 4:17
Then (epeita). The next step, not the identical time (tote), but immediately afterwards.
Together with them (ama sun autoiv). Note both ama (at the same time) and sun (together with) with the associative instrumental case autoiv (the risen saints).
Shall be caught up (arpaghsomeqa). Second future passive indicative of arpazw, old verb to seize, to carry off like Latin rapio.
To meet the Lord in the air (eiv apanthsin tou Kuriou eiv aera). This special Greek idiom is common in the LXX like the Hebrew, but Polybius has it also and it occurs in the papyri (Moulton, Proleg., p. 14, n. 3). This rapture of the saints (both risen and changed) is a glorious climax to Paul's argument of consolation.
And so (kai outwv). This is the outcome, to be forever with the Lord, whether with a return to earth or with an immediate departure for heaven Paul does not say. To be with Christ is the chief hope of Paul's life (I Thessalonians 5:10; Philippians 1:23; Colossians 3:4; II Corinthians 5:8).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures
1 Thessalonians 4:17 (KJV) - Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)