The Letters · New Testament
1 Thessalonians 5
1 Thessalonians 5: the day of the Lord and the letter's closing charges
General context
On times and the seasons the writers say nothing needs writing, because the readers know that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. When people say Peace and safety, sudden destruction comes as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. The readers, however, are not in darkness, but children of light and children of the day, so the writers urge that they not sleep as others do but watch and be sober, since sleeping and drunkenness belong to the night. Faith and love are named as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet. God has not appointed them to wrath but to obtain salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for them so that whether they wake or sleep they live together with him, and they are to comfort and edify one another. Closing charges follow in quick succession: know and highly esteem those who labour among them and admonish them, be at peace, warn the unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient, return no evil for evil, rejoice, pray, give thanks, quench not the Spirit, despise not prophesyings, prove all things and hold fast the good, abstain from all appearance of evil. The letter ends with prayer for their whole spirit and soul and body, a request for prayer, a greeting with an holy kiss, a charge that the epistle be read to all the brethren, and grace.
Cited passages: 1 Thessalonians 5:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 Thessalonians 5:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 1 Thessalonians 5:25, 1 Thessalonians 5:26, 1 Thessalonians 5:27
1 Thessalonians 5 (KJV)
1But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
12And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
16Rejoice evermore.
17Pray without ceasing.
18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19Quench not the Spirit.
20Despise not prophesyings.
21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
25Brethren, pray for us.
26Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
27I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Printed after this letter in the King James Version: The first epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens.
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 shows that the congregation already has people with responsibility in it, described only by what they do, them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you. No officer, host or member is named anywhere in the letter. The charge that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren establishes that the letter was meant to be heard by the whole assembly rather than by leaders alone. On timing the writers refuse specifics, saying the readers have no need that I write about times and the seasons, so no date or interval is given. After the closing grace this source prints a further line, that the first epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens; the letter's own sentences say only that the writers were left at Athens when they sent Timotheus, and name no place of writing.
Cited passages: 1 Thessalonians 5:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:27, 1 Thessalonians 5:28, 1 Thessalonians 3:1
Literary context
Paired opposites organize the first half: night and day, darkness and light, sleeping and watching, drunken and sober. The word sleep is put to two uses within a few lines, after the previous chapter had used it for the dead, so that let us not sleep, as do others means inattention, while whether we wake or sleep covers both conditions at once. The armour image is compressed into one sentence and made of faith, love and hope, the same three that opened the letter. The closing turns to very short commands, Rejoice evermore, Pray without ceasing, Quench not the Spirit, and this run ends with a test rather than a rule, Prove all things. The final prayer returns once more to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Cited passages: 1 Thessalonians 5:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 1 Thessalonians 1:3
Key moments
- A thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2). The day of the Lord is said to come without warning.
- Peace and safety (1 Thessalonians 5:3). Sudden destruction is said to fall on those who claim security.
- Children of the day (1 Thessalonians 5:5). The readers are described as belonging to light rather than darkness.
- Armour of faith and hope (1 Thessalonians 5:8). Faith and love are a breastplate, and the hope of salvation a helmet.
- Esteem those who labour (1 Thessalonians 5:12). The readers are told to recognize those working and admonishing among them.
- Prove all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The readers are told to test everything and hold what is good.
- Read it to everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:27). The writer charges that the letter be read to all the brethren.
For reflection
The writers say the day comes as a thief and then tell the readers to be sober rather than to calculate. What does watchfulness look like when no timetable is offered?
