1 Brothers and sisters, we don't need to write anything to you about prophetic times and dates. 2 You yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When people talk about peace and security suddenly they will be completely ruined. It will be just like the sudden onset of childbirth, and they certainly won't escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark about this so that you won't be caught by surprise when the Day of Judgment arrives suddenly like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light and children of the day. We don't belong to the night or to darkness. 6 So then we shouldn't be sleeping like everybody else—we should stay awake and keep ourselves clear-headed. 7 For it's during the night that people sleep; and it's at night that they get drunk. 8 But since we belong to the day we should keep our heads clear. We strap on the breastplate of trust and love. We put on the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God hasn't placed us in a position to be punished, but has reserved us for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He's the one who died for us so that whether we're alive or dead we shall live together with him. 11 So encourage and strengthen one another, just as you are doing. 12 Brothers and sisters, we're asking you to respect those who work with you, who lead you in the Lord and teach you. 13 You should value them highly in love for the work they do. Live in peace with each other. 14 We urge you, brothers and sisters, to warn those who are lazy, encourage those who are anxious, help those who are weak, and be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure none of you pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to one another, and to everyone. 16 Always be full of joy, 17 never stop praying, 18 be thankful in every situation—because this is what God in Christ Jesus wants you to do. 19 Don't hold the Spirit back, 20 don't look down on prophecy, 21 make sure to check everything. Hold on to whatever is good; 22 keep away from every kind of evil. 23 May the God of peace himself make you completely holy, and may your whole being—body, mind and spirit—be kept blameless for when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 24 The one who calls you is trustworthy, and he will do this. 25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all the believers there affectionately. 27 I'm requiring you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the believers. 28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
1 Thessalonians · Free Bible Version
1 Thessalonians 5 Free Bible Version
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)