1 Thessalonians 5
Good News Translation
Be Ready for the Lord's Coming
5 There is no need to write you, friends, about the times and occasions when these things will happen. 2 (A)For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come as a thief comes at night. 3 When people say, “Everything is quiet and safe,” then suddenly destruction will hit them! It will come as suddenly as the pains that come upon a woman in labor, and people will not escape. 4 But you, friends, are not in the darkness, and the Day should not take you by surprise like a thief. 5 All of you are people who belong to the light, who belong to the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, we should not be sleeping like the others; we should be awake and sober. 7 It is at night when people sleep; it is at night when they get drunk. 8 (B)But we belong to the day, and we should be sober. We must wear faith and love as a breastplate, and our hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 God did not choose us to suffer his anger, but to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us in order that we might live together with him, whether we are alive or dead when he comes. 11 And so encourage one another and help one another, just as you are now doing.
Final Instructions and Greetings
12 We beg you, our friends, to pay proper respect to those who work among you, who guide and instruct you in the Christian life. 13 Treat them with the greatest respect and love because of the work they do. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 We urge you, our friends, to warn the idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but at all times make it your aim to do good to one another and to all people.
16 Be joyful always, 17 pray at all times, 18 be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.
19 Do not restrain the Holy Spirit; 20 do not despise inspired messages. 21 Put all things to the test: keep what is good 22 and avoid every kind of evil.
23 May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you will do it, because he is faithful.
25 Pray also for us, friends.
26 Greet all the believers with the kiss of peace.
27 I urge you by the authority of the Lord to read this letter to all the believers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
1 Thessalonians 5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you.(A) 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.(B) 3 When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape!(C) 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief;(D) 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So, then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober,(E) 7 for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.(F) 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation.(G) 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,(H) 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.(I) 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
Final Exhortations, Greetings, and Benediction
12 But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you;(J) 13 esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them.(K) 15 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.(L) 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good;(M) 22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound[a] and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.(N) 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.(O)
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.(P)
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. 27 I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers and sisters.(Q)
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.[b]
1 Thessalonians 5
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters,[a] you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4 But you, beloved,[b] are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7 for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
Final Exhortations, Greetings, and Benediction
12 But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[c] to respect those who labour among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; 13 esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, beloved,[d] to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. 15 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise the words of prophets,[e] 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound[f] and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
25 Beloved,[g] pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters[h] with a holy kiss. 27 I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them.[i]
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.[j]
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 5:1 Gk brothers
- 1 Thessalonians 5:4 Gk brothers
- 1 Thessalonians 5:12 Gk brothers
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Gk brothers
- 1 Thessalonians 5:20 Gk despise prophecies
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Or complete
- 1 Thessalonians 5:25 Gk Brothers
- 1 Thessalonians 5:26 Gk brothers
- 1 Thessalonians 5:27 Gk to all the brothers
- 1 Thessalonians 5:28 Other ancient authorities add Amen
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.