1 But about the times and their order, my brothers, there is no need for me to say anything to you. 2 For you yourselves have the knowledge that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, There is peace and no danger, then sudden destruction will come on them, as birth-pains on a woman with child; and they will not be able to get away from it. 4 But you, my brothers, are not in the dark, for that day to overtake you like a thief: 5 For you are all sons of light and of the day: we are not of the night or of the dark. 6 So then, let us not take our rest as the others do, but let us be self-controlled and awake. 7 For those who are sleeping do so in the night; and those who are the worse for drink are so in the night; 8 But let us, who are of the day, be serious, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and on our heads, the hope of salvation. 9 For God's purpose for us is not wrath, but salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who was put to death for us, so that, awake or sleeping, we may have a part in his life. 11 So then, go on comforting and building up one another, as you have been doing. 12 But we make this request to you, my brothers: give attention to those who are working among you, who are over you in the Lord to keep order among you; 13 And have a high opinion of them in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And our desire is that you will keep control over those whose lives are not well ordered, giving comfort to the feeble-hearted, supporting those with little strength, and putting up with much from all. 15 Let no one give evil for evil; but ever go after what is good, for one another and for all. 16 Have joy at all times. 17 Keep on with your prayers. 18 In everything give praise: for this is the purpose of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not put out the light of the Spirit; 20 Do not make little of the words of the prophets; 21 Let all things be tested; keep to what is good; 22 Keep from every form of evil. 23 And may the God of peace himself make you holy in every way; and may your spirit and soul and body be free from all sin at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 God, by whom you have been marked out in his purpose, is unchanging and will make it complete. 25 Brothers, keep us in mind in your prayers. 26 Give all the brothers a holy kiss. 27 I give orders in the name of the Lord that all the brothers are to be present at the reading of this letter. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
1 Thessalonians · Bible in Basic English
1 Thessalonians 5 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (28)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; Matthew 24:36; Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:30–32
- 2 Revelation 16:15; 2 Peter 3:10; Matthew 24:42–44; Revelation 3:3; Matthew 25:13
- 3 Luke 21:34–35; Matthew 24:37–39; Luke 17:26–30; Revelation 18:7–8; Psalm 73:18–20
- 4 1 John 2:8; Jeremiah 42:16; 1 Peter 2:9–10; Deuteronomy 28:15; Colossians 1:13
- 5 Ephesians 5:8; Acts 26:18; John 12:36; Luke 16:8
- 6 1 Peter 1:13; Matthew 24:42; Luke 22:46; 1 Peter 5:8; Romans 13:11–14
- 7 Romans 13:13; 2 Peter 2:13; 1 Corinthians 15:34; Acts 2:15; Daniel 5:4–5
- 8 Romans 13:12–13; 1 Peter 1:13; Ephesians 6:11; Isaiah 59:17; Hebrews 10:35–36
- 9 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Peter 2:10; 2 Timothy 2:10; Acts 13:48; Proverbs 16:4
- 10 Romans 14:8–9; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Ephesians 5:2; Matthew 20:28
- 11 Ephesians 4:29; Romans 15:2; Hebrews 10:25; Hebrews 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:18
- 12 Hebrews 13:17; Hebrews 13:7; 1 Timothy 5:17–18; 1 Corinthians 16:18; 1 Corinthians 16:16
- 13 Mark 9:50; Hebrews 12:14; Galatians 6:6; James 3:18; John 13:34–35
- 14 2 Timothy 4:2; Romans 14:1; Acts 20:35; 2 Thessalonians 3:6–7; Isaiah 35:3–4
- 15 1 Peter 3:9; Galatians 6:10; Leviticus 19:18; 3 John 11; Romans 12:17–21
- 16 Romans 12:12; Philippians 4:4; Matthew 5:12; 2 Corinthians 6:10; Luke 10:20
- 17 Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2; Ephesians 6:18; Luke 18:1; Luke 21:36
- 18 Ephesians 5:20; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 3:17; Hebrews 13:15; Job 1:21
- 19 Ephesians 4:30; Acts 7:51; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Timothy 4:14; Isaiah 63:10
- 20 1 Corinthians 14:3–6; 1 Corinthians 14:1; 1 Corinthians 11:4; Numbers 11:25–29; 1 Corinthians 14:37–39
- 21 1 John 4:1; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:10; Luke 12:57; Acts 17:11
- 22 2 Corinthians 6:3; Philippians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 8:20–21; 1 Corinthians 10:31–33; Romans 12:17
- 23 Jude 24; 1 Corinthians 1:8–9; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Peter 5:10
- 24 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Peter 5:10
- 25 Philippians 1:19; Hebrews 13:18–19; 2 Corinthians 1:11; Philemon 22; Ephesians 6:18–20
- 26 Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20
- 27 Colossians 4:16; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Timothy 5:21; Matthew 26:63; 1 Kings 22:16
- 28 Romans 16:20; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; Romans 1:7; Romans 16:23
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Nothing, as it seems, is so curious, and so fondly prone to pry into things obscure and concealed, as the nature of men. And this is wont to happen to it, when the mind is unsettled and in an imperfect state.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
I exhort you, therefore, that ye abstain from covetousness, and that ye be chaste and truthful. "Abstain from every form of evil." For if a man cannot govern himself in such matters, how shall he enjoin them on others?
… as well as a spiritual man; saying thus in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, "Now the God of peace sanctify you perfect (perfectos); and may your spirit, and soul, and body be preserved whole without complaint to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ." Now what was his object in praying that these three--that is, soul, body, and spirit--might …
… this pilgrimage received "an earnest" that we should now be light, whilst as yet we "are saved by hope," and are the children of light, and the children of the day,--not the children of the night nor of the darkness, which yet we have been. Betwixt whom and us, in this as yet uncertain state of human knowledge, Thou only …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
For Paul too saith this, writing on this wise, "When they shall speak of peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them;" and to show how unexpected, He said, "as travail upon a woman with child." How then doth He say, "after the tribulation of those days?" For if there be luxury then, and peace, and safety, as Paul …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)