New Testament

1 Thessalonians 5

Watchfulness, Charity, and Apostolic Farewell

8 passages

Overview

Paul urges vigilant readiness for the unpredictable Day of the Lord, sets out a discerning charter of fraternal charity and a rule of life built on joy, prayer, and thanksgiving, and closes with a prayer for complete sanctification and a benediction sealing the community in grace.

Passages

1–3The Day of the Lord Comes Unexpectedly 4–8Children of Light: Watchfulness and Spiritual Armor 9–11Destined for Life: Salvation, Solidarity, and the Call to Build Up the Body 12–13Honoring Those Who Lead in the Lord 14–15Bearing One Another's Burdens: The Art of Pastoral Charity 16–22A Rule of Life: Joy, Prayer, Thanksgiving, and Discernment 23–24Whole and Holy: God's Faithfulness to Complete What He Begins 25–28Sealed in Grace: The Apostolic Farewell

Study Resources

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1 Thessalonians 5

¹But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you. ²For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. ³For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman. Then they will in no way escape. ⁴But you, brothers, aren’t in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief. ⁵You are all children of light and children of the day. We don’t belong to the night, nor to darkness, ⁶so then let’s not sleep, as the rest do, but let’s watch and be sober. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who are drunk are drunk in the night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let’s be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. ⁹For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. ¹¹Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.

¹²But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³and to respect and honor them in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

¹⁴We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient toward all. ¹⁵See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all.

¹⁶Always rejoice. ¹⁷Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. ¹⁹Don’t quench the Spirit. ²⁰Don’t despise prophecies. ²¹Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. ²²Abstain from every form of evil.

²³May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁴He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.

²⁵Brothers, pray for us.

²⁶Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. ²⁷I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.

²⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 4