1 But concerning dates and times, brothers, you do not need us to write to you. 2 For you yourselves thoroughly understand that the day of the Lord shall arrive much like a thief in the night. 3 For when they will say, “Peace and security!” then destruction will suddenly overwhelm them, like the labor pains of a woman with child, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that you would be overtaken by that day as by a thief. 5 For all of you are sons of light and sons of daytime; we are not of nighttime, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore, let us not sleep, as the rest do. Instead, we should be vigilant and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who are inebriated, are inebriated in the night. 8 But we, who are of the daylight, should be sober, being clothed with the breastplate of faith and of charity and having, as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not appointed us for wrath, but for the acquisition of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that, whether we watch, or whether we sleep, we may live in union with him. 11 Because of this, console one another and build up one another, just as you are doing. 12 And we ask you, brothers, to recognize those who labor among you, and who preside over you in the Lord, and who admonish you, 13 so that you may consider them with an abundance of charity, for the sake of their work. Be at peace with them. 14 And we ask you, brothers: correct the disruptive, console the weak-minded, support the sick, be patient with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone. Instead, always pursue whatever is good, with one another and with all. 16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 Give thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of you. 19 Do not choose to extinguish the Spirit. 20 Do not spurn prophecies. 21 But test all things. Hold on to whatever is good. 22 Abstain from every kind of evil. 23 And may the God of peace himself sanctify you through all things, so that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved without blame unto the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who has called you is faithful. He shall act even now. 25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I bind you, through the Lord, that this epistle is to be read to all the holy brothers. 28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
1 Thessalonians · Catholic Public Domain Version
1 Thessalonians 5 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
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)