The Letters · New Testament
1 Thessalonians 4
1 Thessalonians 4: instructions on conduct and on those who are asleep
General context
The writers beseech and exhort the readers to abound more and more in the walk they already received, and recall the commandments given by the Lord Jesus. The will of God is named as their sanctification, with abstention from fornication, each one knowing how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour rather than in the lust of concupiscence like the Gentiles which know not God. No one is to go beyond and defraud his brother, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as the writers had forewarned. The calling is not unto uncleanness, but unto holiness, so that rejecting this despises God, not man. On brotherly love the writers say no writing is needed, since the readers are taught of God and already practise it throughout Macedonia, yet they ask for increase, and add that the readers study to be quiet, do their own business and work with their own hands, so as to walk honestly toward them that are without and lack nothing. The last section addresses them which are asleep, so that the readers do not sorrow as others which have no hope. If Jesus died and rose again, God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. By the word of the Lord, the living will not go before them: the Lord himself descends with a shout, the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, the dead in Christ rise first, and the living are caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The instruction ends, comfort one another with these words.
Cited passages: 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:6, 1 Thessalonians 4:7, 1 Thessalonians 4:8, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 1 Thessalonians 4:18
1 Thessalonians 4 (KJV)
1Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
2For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
8He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
9But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
10And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
11And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
12That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.
Historical context
The chapter establishes that the readers had already been taught in person, since the writers appeal to what ye have received of us and to what we commanded you, and say they had forewarned and testified about defrauding. It also establishes a live concern in the congregation about members who have died, addressed as them which are asleep, and shows the writers correcting sorrow rather than reporting deaths: no person who died is named, no number given, no cause stated. The sequence of descent, rising and being caught up is offered on stated authority, this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, with no time attached to it; the following chapter says the times and the seasons need no writing. Instructions to work with your own hands imply the readers hold ordinary employment, but no trade, household or civic setting is described.
Cited passages: 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:6, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:1
Literary context
The letter changes gear here, from remembering to asking, and the pivot word is Furthermore. Two outside groups mark the boundaries of the instruction, the Gentiles which know not God and others which have no hope, so conduct and grief are both defined by contrast. The middle section states that a subject needs no letter, then writes about it anyway, ye need not that I write unto you followed by an exhortation to increase more and more. The closing passage is arranged by order words, first for the dead in Christ, Then for the living, and it is built from sound: a shout, the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. Its stated purpose is consolation rather than warning, and the last line says so.
Cited passages: 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Key moments
- Abound more and more (1 Thessalonians 4:1). The writers ask the readers to continue in the walk they were taught.
- Sanctification named (1 Thessalonians 4:3). The will of God is stated as their sanctification.
- Work with your own hands (1 Thessalonians 4:11). The readers are told to be quiet, mind their business and work.
- Not sorrowing without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). The writers address those who have died among the readers.
- By the word of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:15). The writers give the order of events on stated authority.
- The Lord descends (1 Thessalonians 4:16). A shout, an archangel's voice and a trumpet accompany the descent.
- Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18). The passage ends with an instruction to use these words as comfort.
For reflection
The writers do not tell the readers to stop grieving, only not to sorrow as others which have no hope. Where does that leave the difference between grief and despair?
