1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians · Chapter 4

1 Thessalonians 4:6

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
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.and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8Living in holiness

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

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
notμὴmēG3361
not

μή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. …

to go beyondὑπερβαίνεινhuperbaineinG5233
to wrong

ὑπερβαίνω (huperbainō) ὑπερ-βαίνω [in LXX for עָבַר, etc. ;] 1. trans., to step over, trans­gress (R, overreach: 1Th.4:6). 2. Intrans., to transgress: metaphorically, 1Th.4:6 (R, txt.; see M, Th., in l).† (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. …

to overreachπλεονεκτεῖνpleonekteinG4122
to exploit

πλεονεκτέω (pleonekteō) πλεονεκτέω, -ῶ (πλεονέκτης, which see), [in LXX: Hab.2:9, Eze.22:27 (בָּצַע), Jdg.4:11 B* ;] 1. intrans., to have more, to have an advantage (cl., with genitive of person(s)). 2. Trans., in late writers (see M, Pr., 65), to over­reach, defraud: with accusative of person(s), 2Co.7:2 12:17-18; ἐν τ. πράγματιι, 1Th.4:6 (see M, Th., in l); pass., 2Co.2:11 (as also in cl.; see LS, see word).† (AS)

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 …

matterπράγματιpragmatiG4229
thing

πρᾶγμα (pragma) πρᾶγμα, -τος, τύ (πράσσω), [in LXX chiefly for דָּבָר ;] 1. that which has been done, a deed, act: Luk.1:1, Act.5:4, 2Co.7:11, Heb.6:18. 2. That which is being done (like Lat. res), hence, a thing, matter, affair: Mat.18:19, Rom.16:2, 1Th.4:6 (see M, Th., in l), Heb.10:1 11:1, Jas.3:16; in forensic sense (as frequently in π., see Deiss., BS, 233), a law-suit: 1Co.6:1.† (AS)

brotherἀδελφὸνadelphonG0080
brother

ἀδελφός (adelphos) ἀδελφός, -οῦ, ὁ (ἀ- copul., δελφύς, womb), in cl., a brother, born of the same parent or parents. [In LXX (Hort, Ja., 102f.), for אָח ;] 1. lit. of a brother (Gen.4:2, al.). 2. Of a neighbour (Lev.19:17). 3. Of a member of the same nation (Exo.2:14, Deu.15:3). In NT in each of these senses (1. Mat.1:2, al.; 2. Mat.7:3; 3. Rom.9:3) and also, …

of him;αὐτοῦ·autouG0846
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; …

becauseδιότιdiotiG1360
because

διότι (dioti) δι-ότι , conjunct., for διὰ τοῦτο, ὅτι (Lat. propterea quod), because: Luk.1:13 2:7 21:28, Act.13:35 18:10 20:26 22:18, Rom.1:19, 21 3:20 8:7, 21, 1Co.15:9, Php.2:26, 1Th.2:8, 18 (Lft., Notes, 37) 1Th.4:6, Heb.11:5, 23, Jas.4:3, 1Pe.1:16 1:24 2:6. It is usually stronger than ὅτι, but sometimes, as in Luk.1:13, Rom.1:19, 1Th.2:18, approximates to MGr. sense, for; cf. Milligan, Th., l.with† (AS)

avenging [is]ἔκδικοςekdikosG1558
avenging

ἔκδικος (ekdikos) ἔκδικος, -ον (δίκη), [in LXX: Wis.12:12, Sir.30:6, 4Ma.15:29 * ;] 1. without law, unjust. 2. exacting penalty from; as subst., an avenger: Rom.13:4; before περί, 1Th.4:6 (in π., a legal representative; Milligan, Th., l.with).† (AS)

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 …

concerningπερὶperiG4012
about

περί (peri) περί, prep. with genitive, accusative (in cl. also with dative; cf. M, Pr., 105f.), with radical sense round about (as distinct from ἀμφί, on both sides). I. C. genitive, 1. of place, about (poët.). …

allπάντωνpantōnG3956
all

πᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. …

these thingsτούτωνtoutōnG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

even asκαθὼςkathōsG2531
as/just as

καθώς (kathōs) καθώς, (i.e. καθ᾽ ὡς), Hellenistic for καθά, which see, καθάπερ, καθό, καθότι (Mayser, 485; Eutherford, NPhr., 495; Bl., §78, 1), according as, even as, just as, as: Luk.1:2 (see: καθά), 24:39, Jhn.5:23, Act.7:48, 1Co.8:2, Gal.3:6, al.; before οὕτως, Luk.11:30, Jhn.3:14, 2Co.1:5, Col.3:13, 1Jn.2:6, al.; before καί, Jhn.15:9, 1Co.15:49, 1Jn.2:18, al.; οὕτως . . . κ., Luk.24:24; id. with ellipsis of οὕτως, Mat.21:6, Mrk.16:7, Rom.1:13, al.; with other elliptical constructions, Jhn.6:58 17:21, 22 Act.15:8, 1Th.2:13, 1Ti.1:3, 1Jn.3:2, 3 12; καθὼς γέγραπται (Deiss., BS, 249), Mat.26:24, Mrk.9:13, …

alsoκαὶkaiG2532
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. …

we told beforeπροείπαμενproeipamenG4277
to predict

προέπω (proepō) προ-εῖπον 2 aor. from unused Pres. (see: εἶπον, and pf., -είρηκα (3Ma.6:35 *), pass., -είρημαι (2Ma.2:32, 3Ma.1:26, al.), 1. to say before: Gal.1:9, 1Th.4:6 (on the form -αμεν, see WH, App., 164), Heb.4:7; before ὅτι, 2Co.7:3 13:2, Gal.5:21; of prophecy, Mat.24:25, Mrk.13:23, Act.1:16, Rom.9:29, 2Pe.3:2, Ju 17. 2. to proclaim publicly, declare openly or plainly (cl.): so R, mg., in 2Co.13:2, Gal.5:21, 1Th.4:6 (cf. προλέγω; but see supr., and cf. M, Th., 38).† (AS)

youὑμῖνhuminG4771
you

σέ (se) 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; …

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. …

thoroughly warned.διεμαρτυράμεθα.diemarturamethaG1263
to testify solemnly

διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) δια-μαρτύρομαι, depon., of Ionic origin, intensive of the simple μαρτύρομαι, which see, [in LXX chiefly for עוּד hi., usually with dative of person(s), Deu.4:26 8:19, 1Ki.8:9, al. ;] solemnly to protest: Luk.16:28, Act.2:40 8:25 10:42 18:5 20:21, 23, 24 23:11 28:23, 1Th.4:6, Heb.2:6; in adjuration, before ἐνώπιον τ. θεοῦ, 1Ti.5:21, 2Ti.2:14 4:1 (Cremer, 415).† (AS)

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