The Day of the Lord

About the times and the seasons:(A) Brothers and sisters, you do not need anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord(B) will come just like a thief(C) in the night. When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction(D) will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief.(E) For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness.(F) So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled(G) and put on the armor(H) of faith and love, and a helmet(I) of the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord(J) Jesus Christ,(K) 10 who died for us,(L) so that whether we are awake or asleep,(M) we may live together with him.(N) 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

Exhortations and Blessings

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to give recognition(O) to those who labor among you and lead you[a] in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to regard them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace(P) among yourselves. 14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters:(Q) warn those who are idle,[b] comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient(R) with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil(S) to anyone,(T) but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.(U) 16 Rejoice(V) always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will(W) for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all things.(X) Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away(Y) from every kind of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace(Z) himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit,(AA) soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming(AB) of our Lord(AC) Jesus Christ.(AD) 24 He who calls(AE) you(AF) is faithful; he will do it. 25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us also. 26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers and sisters.(AG) 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Footnotes

  1. 5:12 Or care for you
  2. 5:14 Or who are disorderly, or who are undisciplined

The Sudden Arrival of the Day of the Lord

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves well know that the day of the Lord is coming in the same way as a thief in the night. Whenever they say “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will overtake them like the birth pains of a pregnant woman[a], and they will not possibly escape. But you, brothers, are not in the darkness, so that the day should catch you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

So then, we must not sleep like the rest, but must be on the alert and be self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But because[b] we are of the day, we must be sober, by[c] putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation, because God did not appoint us for wrath, but for the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live at the same time with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other[d], just as indeed you are doing.

Final Exhortations and Benediction

12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and rule over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them beyond all measure in love, because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, console the discouraged, help the sick, be patient toward all people. 15 See to it that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue good toward[e] one another and toward all people.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but examine all things; hold fast to what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, who also will do this.

25 Brothers, pray for us.[f] 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I adjure you by the Lord, have this letter read aloud to all the brothers. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 5:3 Literally “one who has in the belly”
  2. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as causal
  3. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“putting on”) which is understood as means
  4. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Literally “one the one,” i.e., “one the other”
  5. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 Some manuscripts have “both toward”
  6. 1 Thessalonians 5:25 Some manuscripts have “pray for us also”