1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians · Chapter 4

1 Thessalonians 4:16

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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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:For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.For 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;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18The dead in Christ shall rise first

About 1 Thessalonians 4Paul writes that "this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication," for "God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." He urges them to grow in brotherly love, "to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands." About believers who have died, he says not to sorrow "as others which have no hope": "the dead in Christ shall rise first," then the living will be "caught up together with them... and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:31 Thessalonians 4:71 Thessalonians 4:91 Thessalonians 4:101 Thessalonians 4:111 Thessalonians 4:131 Thessalonians 4:161 Thessalonians 4:171 Thessalonians overview

Why this verse matters here"The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout... and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Corinthians 15:52 also speaks of "the last trump," when "the dead shall be raised incorruptible." 1 Thessalonians 4:161 Thessalonians 4:171 Corinthians 15:52

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
becauseὅτιhotiG3754H
that/since: that

ὅτι (hoti) ὅτι, conjc. (prop. neut. of ὅστις). I. As conjc, introducing an objective clause, that; 1. after verbs of seeing, knowing, thinking, saying, feeling: Mat.3:9 6:32 11:25, Mrk.3:28, Luk.2:49, Jhn.2:22, Act.4:13, Rom.1:13 8:38 10:9, Php.4:15, Jas.2:24, al.; elliptically, Jhn.6:46, Php.3:12, al. 2. After εἶναι (γίνεσθαι): defining a demonstr. or of person(s) pron., Jhn.3:19 16:19, Rom.9:6, 1Jn.3:16 al.; with pron. interrog., Mat.8:27, Mrk.4:41, Luk.4:36, Jhn.4:22 al.; id. elliptically, Luk.2:49, Act.5:4, 9, al.; …

HimselfαὐτὸςautosG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

LordκύριοςkuriosG2962G
lord: God

κύριος (kurios) κύριος, -α, -ον (also -ος, -ον), [in LXX (subst.) chiefly for יהוה, also for בַּעַל ,אָדוֹן, etc. ;] having power (κῦρος) or authority; as subst., ὁ κ., lord, master; 1. in general: with genitive of thing(s), Mat.9:38 20:8, Mrk.12:9 13:35, Luk.19:33; τ. σαββάτου, Mat.12:8, Mrk.2:28, Luk.6:5; with genitive of person(s), δούλου, etc., Mat.10:24, Luk.14:21, Act.16:16, al.; absol, opposite to οἱ δοῦλοι, Eph.6:5, 9 al.; of the Emperor (Deiss., LAE, 161), Act.25:26; θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κ. πολλοί, 1Co.8:5; of a husband, 1Pe.3:6; in voc, as a title of respect to masters, teachers, magistrates, etc., Ma …

withἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

a loud command,κελεύσματι,keleusmatiG2752
command

κέλευσμα (keleusma) κέλευσμα, -τος, τό (κελεύω), [in LXX: Pro.30:27 * ;] a call, summons, shout of command: 1Th.4:16 (see M, Th., in l).† (AS)

withἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

[the] voiceφωνῇphōnēaG5456G
voice/sound: voice

φωνή (phōnē) φωνή, -ῆς, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for קוֹל ;] a voice; (a) prop., of persons, Mat.2:18 (LXX), al.; φ. αἴρειν (ἐπαίρειν), Luk.17:13, Act.2:14, al.; φ. μεγάλῃ εἰπεῖν (λέγειν, φωνεῖν, etc.), Luk.8:28, Act.7:57, Rev.5:12, al.; γίνεται (ἔρχεται) φ. ἐκ τ. οὐρανῶν (ἐξ οὐρανοῦ), Mrk.1:11, Luk.3:22, Jhn.12:28, al. (cf. DCG, ii, 810a; Dalman, Words, 204f.); ἀκούειν φωνήν (-ῆς; see: ἀκούω), Act.9:4, 7 al.; φ. βοῶντος, Mat.3:3, Mrk.1:3, Luk.3:4, Jhn.1:23" (LXX) ; τ. θεοῦ, Jhn.5:37, Heb.3:7, al. By meton., (α) of the speaker, βλέπειν τὴν φ., Rev.1:12; …

of an archangelἀρχαγγέλουarchangelouG0743
archangel

ἀρχάγγελος (archangelos) ἀρχ-άγγελος, -ου, ὁ (ἄρχι-, ἄγγελος), archangel, a chief angel: 1Th.4:16, Ju 9 (Cremer, 24; MM, see word).† (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

withἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

[the] trumpetσάλπιγγιsalpingiG4536
trumpet

σάλπιγξ (salpigx) σάλπιγξ, -ιγγος, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for שׁוֹפָר, חֲצֹצְרָה ;] a trumpet, used in war and in religious ceremonies: 1Co.14:8, Heb.12:19, Rev.1:10 4:1 8:2, 6 8:11 9:14 By meton., a trumpet blast: μετὰ σ. μεγάλης, Mat.24:31; ἐν σ. θεοῦ, 1Th.4:16; ἐν τ. ἐσχάτῃ σ., 1Co.15:52.† (AS)

of GodθεοῦtheouG2316
God

θεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; …

will descendκαταβήσεταιkatabēsetaiG2597
to come/go down

καταβαίνω (katabainō) κατα-βαίνω [in LXX chiefly for יָרַד ;] to go or come down, descend. 1. Of persons: Mat.3:16 24:17, Luk.2:51 6:17 10:31 17:31 19:5-6, Jhn.4:47, 49 4:51 5:7, Act.7:34 8:15 10:20 20:10 23:10 24:1, 22 Eph.4:10. before ἀπό, Mat.8:1 14:29 27:40, 42 Mrk.3:22 15:30, Luk.10:30, Jhn.6:38, Act.25:7, 1Th.4:16; ἐκ, Mat.17:9; ἐκ τ. οὐρανοῦ, Mat.28:2, Mrk.9:9, Jhn.1:32 3:13 6:33, 41-42 6:50-51, 58 Rev.10:1 18:1 20:1; εἰς, Mrk.1:10, Luk.10:30 18:14, Jhn.2:12, Act.7:15 8:38 14:25 16:8 18:22 25:6, Rom.10:7, Eph.4:9; ἐπί, with accusative loc., Jhn.6:16; with accusative of person(s), Luk.3:22, Jhn.1:33, 51; ἐ …

fromἀπ᾽ap᾽G0575
away from

ἀπό (apo) ἀπό (on the frequently neglect of elision bef. vowels, see Tdf., Pr., 94, WH, App., 146), prep. with genitive (WM, 462ff.; on its relation to ἐκ, παρά, ὑπό, ib. 456f.), [in LXX for לְ ,בְּ ,מִן ;] from (i.e. from the exterior). 1. Of separation and cessation; (1) of motion from a place: Mat.5:29, 30 7:23, Luk.5:2 22:41, al.; (2) in partitive sense (M, Pr., 72, 102, 245; MM, see word; Bl., §40, 2), Mat.9:16 27:21, Jhn.21:10, Act.5:2, al.; also after verbs of eating, etc.; …

heaven,οὐρανοῦ,ouranouG3772
heaven

οὐρανός (ouranos) οὐρανός, -οῦ, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for שָׁמַיִם (hence, often pl., οἱ οὐ., see infr.) ;] heaven; 1. of the vault or firmament of heaven, the sky and the aerial regions above the earth: opposite to ἡ γῆ, Heb.1:10, 2Pe.3:5, 10; ὁ οὐ. καὶ ἡ γῆ, i.e. the world, the universe, Mat.5:18, Mrk.13:31, Luk.10:21, Act.4:24, Rev.10:6, al.; ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων οὐ. ἕως ἄ. αὐτῶν (on the absence of art. aft. prep., see Bl, §46, 5), Mat.24:31; ὑπὸ τὸν οὐ., Act.2:5, Col.1:23; ὑψωθῆναι ἕως τοῦ οὐ., figuratively, Mat.11:23, Luk.10:15; σημεῖον ἐκ τοῦ οὐ., Mat.16:1, Mrk.8:11, al.; αἱ νεφέλαι, Mat.24:30, al.; τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ ο …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

deadνεκροὶnekroiG3498
dead

νεκρός (nekros) νεκρός, -α, -ον, [in LXX chiefly for מֵת ;] dead, I. as adj., 1. prop.: Act.5:10 20:9, Jas.2:26, Rev.1:18, al.; ὡσεὶ ν., Mat.28:4, Mrk.9:26, Rev.1:17; of that which is subject to death, Rom.8:10. 2. Metaphorical, (a) of persons: Luk.15:24, 32; of those immersed in worldly cares, Mat.8:22, Luk.9:60; of spiritual death, Jhn.5:25, Rom.6:13, Eph.5:14, Rev.3:1; τ. παραπτώμασιν, Eph.2:1, 5 Col.2:13; of the opposite condition, ν. τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, Rom.6:11; (b) of things regarded as inoperative, devoid of power: ἁμαρτία, Rom.7:8; πίστις, Jas.2:17, 26; ἔργα, Heb.6:1 9:14. …

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

ChristΧριστῷChristōG5547
Christ

Χριστός (Christos) χριστός (Χρ-), -ή, -όν (χρίω), [in LXX for מָשִׁיחַ and cogn. forms ;] 1. 1. as adj., (a) of things, anointing, to be used as ointment (Æsch., Eur., al.; τ. ἔλαιον τὸ χ., Lev.21:10); (b) of persons, anointed (ὁ ἰερεὺς ὁ χ., Lev.4:5; οἱ χ. ἰευρεῖς, 2Ma.1:10): ὁ χ. τοῦ κυρίου or Θεοῦ (1Ki.2:10, Psa.2:2, al.), of the Messiah (Aram., מְשִׁיחָא; cf. Dalman, Words, 289 ff.), Luk.2:11, 26 Jhn.1:41, Act.2:36 4:26, al. …

will riseἀναστήσονταιanastēsontaiG0450
to arise

ἀνίστημι (anistēmi) ἀνίστημι (ἀνά, ἵστημι), [in LXX chiefly for קוּם ;] 1. causal, in fut. and 1 aor. act., with accusative, to raise up: Act.9:41; from death, Jhn.6:39, Act.2:32; to raise up, cause to be born or appear: Mat.22:24, Act.3:22, 26. 2. Intrans., in mid. and 2 aor act.; (a) to rise: from lying, Mrk.1:35; from sitting, Luk.4:16; to leave a place, Mat.9:9; pleonastically, as Heb. קוּם, before verbs of going, Mrk.10:1, al. (see Dalman, Words, 23; M, Pr., 14); of the dead, Mat.17:23, Mrk.8:31; before ἐκ νεκρῶν, Mat.17:9, Mrk.9:9; …

first,πρῶτον,prōtonG4413G
first

πρῶτον (prōton) πρῶτον, πρῶτος, see: πρότερος A. Compar., πρότερος, -α, -ον, [in LXX for רִאשׁוֹן ,לִפָנִים, etc. ;] before, of time, place, rank, etc.; in NT always of Time, before, former: Eph.4:22. Adverbially, πρότερον, before, aforetime, formerly: Jhn.7:50, 2Co.1:15, Heb.4:6; opposite to ἔπειτα, Heb.7:27; τὸ π., Jhn.6:62 9:8, Gal.4:13, 1Ti.1:13; αἱ π. ἡμέραι, Heb.10:32; αἱ π. ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.1:14.† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.