1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians · Chapter 5

1 Thessalonians 5:2

1But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.12And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;13And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.15See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.16Rejoice evermore.17Pray without ceasing.18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.19Quench not the Spirit.20Despise not prophesyings.21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.22Abstain from all appearance of evil.23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.24Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.25Brethren, pray for us.26Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.27I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11The day of the Lord

About 1 Thessalonians 5"The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night," but believers are "children of light," so they are to "watch and be sober," wearing "the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation," for "God hath not appointed us to wrath." Paul asks them to "know them which labour among you" and "esteem them very highly in love," and to support the weak and be patient with all. He closes with short commands, to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and "in every thing give thanks," and a prayer that God would "sanctify you wholly." 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Thessalonians 5:51 Thessalonians 5:61 Thessalonians 5:81 Thessalonians 5:91 Thessalonians 5:121 Thessalonians 5:141 Thessalonians 5:161 Thessalonians 5:171 Thessalonians 5:181 Thessalonians 5:231 Thessalonians overview1 Thessalonians 5:13

Why this verse matters here"The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." 2 Peter 3:10 also says, "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night." 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Thessalonians 5:42 Peter 3:10

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
YourselvesαὐτοὶautoiG0846
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; …

forγὰρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

fullyἀκριβῶςakribōsG0199
exactly

ἀκριβῶς (akribōs) ἀκριβῶς adv. (ἀκριβής), [in LXX: Deu.19:18 (יָטַב), Da TH 7:19 (יְצֵב), Eze.39:14, Wis.19:18, Sir.18:29 ;] with exactness, carefully: Mat.2:8, Luk.1:3, Act.18:25, Eph.5:15, 1Th.5:2 (M, Th., in l). Compar., ἀκριβέστερον (Milligan, NTD, 111; MM, VGT, see word), Act.18:26 23:15, 20 24:22.† (AS)

you knowοἴδατεoidateG6063
to know

οἶδα (oida) 1. to know , εὖ οἶδα I know well; εὖ ἴσθι be assured : often with accusative rei, νοήματα οἶδε, μήδεα οἶδε he is versed in counsels, (Homer); with neut. Adjs., πεπνυμένα, φίλα, ἀθεμίστια εἰδώς (Homer); also with genitive, τόξων εὖ εἰδώς cunning in the use of the bow; οἰωνῶν σάφα εἰδώς (Odyssey by Homer): —; χάριν εἰδέναι τινί to acknowledge a debt to another, thank him , (Iliad by Homer), etc.:—;the Imperat. in protestations, ἴστω Ζεὺς αὐτός be Zeus my witness , (Iliad by Homer); doric ἴττω Ζεύς, ἴττω (Aristophanes Comicus): —; εἰδώς absolute one who knows , εἰδυίηι πάντ᾽ ἀγορεύω (Iliad by Hom …

thatὅτιhotiG3754G
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.; …

dayἡμέραhēmeraG2250
day

ἡμέρα (hēmera) ἡμέρα, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly (very freq.) for יוֹם ;] day; 1. as distinct from night: genitive ἡμέρας, by day (WM, §30, 11), Rev.21:25; ἡ. κ. νυκτός (ν. κ. ̔ἡ.), Act.9:24, 1Th.2:9, 2Th.3:8, Rev.4:8 (BL, §36, 13); ἡμέρας μέσης, at mid-day, Act.26:13; accusative durat., τ. ἡμέρας, Luk.21:37; ὅλην τὴν ἡ., Rom.8:36; ἐν ἡμέρα, Jhn.11:9, Rom.13:13; ἡμέρας ὁδός, a day's journey, Luk.2:44; ἡ. γίνεται, Lk 4:42 22:66; κλίνει, Luk.9:12, al.; metaphorically, Jhn.9:4, Rom.13:12, 1Th.5:4, 5 8, 2Pe.1:19. …

of [the] LordκυρίουkuriouG2962G
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 …

asὡςhōsG5613
as/when

ὡς (hōs) ὡς, adverbial form of the relative pron. ὅς, ἥ, ὅ. I. As relat. adv. of manner, as, like as, just as, even as; 1. with a demonstrative, like οὕτως, expressed or understood: οὕτως . . . ὡς, Mrk.4:26, 1Co.3:15, Eph.5:28, Jas.2:12, al.; ὡς . . . οὕτως, Act.8:32, 1Co.7:17, al.; elliptically (sc. οὕτως, οὕτω), with nom., Mat.6:29, al.; with accusative, Mat.19:19, Mrk.12:31, al.; with prep., Mat.26:55, Mrk.14:48, Luk.22:52, Jhn.7:10, al.; with verb., Jhn.15:6, 2Co.3:1, Eph.2:3, 1Th.5:6, al.; with ptcp. (the ptcp. however not having the special force wh. it has in cl.; see Bl., §73, 5; 74, 6), Mat. …

a thiefκλέπτηςkleptēsG2812
thief

κλέπτης (kleptēs) κλέπτης, -ου, ὁ [in LXX for גַּנָּב ;] a thief: Mat.6:19-20 24:43, Luk.12:33, 39, Jhn.10:1, 10 12:6, 1Co.6:10, 1Pe.4:15. Fig., ὡς κ. ἐν νυκτί, 1Th.5:2 5:4 (κλέπτας, WH, txt., R, mg.; see Lft., Notes, 73; but cf. also M, Th., l.with), 2Pe.3:10, Rev.3:3 16:15. Metaphorical, of false teachers, Jhn.10:8.† SYN.: λῃστής, a robber, a brigand who plunders, openly, with violence; κ. is a thief who steals in secret, by fraud and cunning (Tr., Syn., § xliv) (AS)

byἐνenG1722
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 …

nightνυκτὶnuktiG3571
night

νύξ (nux) νύξ genitive νυκτός, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for לַיִל ;] night: Mat.12:40, Mrk.6:48, Jhn.13:30, al.; genitive temp. (of the time within which something happens; M, Pr., 73; B1., § 36, 13), νυκτός, by night, Mat.2:14, Jhn.3:2, 1Th.5:7, al.; ν. κ. ἡμέρας, Mrk.5:5, 1Th.2:9, al.; ἡμέρας κ. ν., Luk.18:7, Rev.4:8, al.; μέσης ν., Mat.25:6; dative, νυκτί, in ans. to the question, "when?" (rare in cl.; Hdt., Soph.), ταύτῃ τ. ν., Luk.12:20, al.; ἐκείνῃ Act.12:6; ἐπιούσῃ, Act.23:11; accusative durat. (Bl., § 34, 8; Kühner3, III, 314b), ν. κ. ἠμέραν, Luk.2:37 Act.20:31; τ. νύκτας, Luk.21:37; διὰ νυκτός (= c …

in this mannerοὕτωςhoutōsG3779
thus(-ly)

οὕτως (ohutō, ohutōs) οὕτως, rarely (Bl., §5, 4; WH, App., 146f.) οὕτω, adv. (οὗτος), [in LXX chiefly for כֵּן ;] in this way, so, thus; 1. referring to what precedes: Mat.5:16 6:30, Mrk.10:43 14:59, Luk.1:25 2:48 15:7, Jhn.3:8, Rom.1:15, 1Co.8:12, al.; οὕτως καί, Mat.17:12, Mrk.13:29, al.; pleonastically, resuming a ptcp. (cl.; see Bl., §74, 6), Act.20:11 27:17. 2. Referring to what follows: Mat.1:18 6:9, Luk.19:31, Jhn.21:1, 1Pe.2:15; bef. quotations from OT, Mat.2:5, Act.7:6, 1Co.15:45, Heb.4:4. 3. C. adj. (marking intensity): Heb.12:21, Rev.16:18; similarly with adv., Gal.1:6 (cl.). …

comes;ἔρχεται·erchetaiG2064
to come/go

ἔρχομαι (erchomai) ἔρχομαι, [in LXX very frequently for בּוֹא, also for הלךְ ni., אתה, etc., 34 words in all ;] 1. to come; (a) of persons, either as arriving or returning from elsewhere: Mat.8:9, Mrk.6:31, Luk.7:8, Jhn.4:27, Rom.9:9, al.; before ἀπό, Mrk.5:35 7:1, Jhn.3:2, al.; ἐκ, Luk.5:17, Jhn.3:31, al.; εἰς, Mrk.1:29, al.; διά before εἰς, Mrk.7:31; ἐν (Cremer, 263f., but see: ἐν), Rom.15:29, 1Co.4:21; ἐπί, with accusative, Mrk.6:53 11:13, Jhn.19:33, al.; κατά, with accusative, Luk.10:33 Act.16:7; παρά, with genitive, Luk.8:49; with accusative, Mat.15:29, Mrk.9:14, al.; with dative comm., incomm. (M, Pr., …

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