1 Thessalonians 5:18

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

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1 Thessalonians 5:18 in Other Translations

KJV

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

ESV

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

NLT

18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

MSG

18 thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

CSB

18 Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything give thanks
That is, to God the Father, in the name of Christ; see ( Ephesians 5:20 ) thanks are to be given to him for all things, as the Ethiopic version renders it; for all temporal good things; for our beings, the preservation of them; for food and raiment, and all the mercies of life; for the means of grace, the word and ordinances, and the ministers of the Gospel; for spiritual blessings, for electing, redeeming, regenerating, adopting, pardoning, justifying, and persevering grace: for a meetness for heaven, a right unto it, and a good hope of it; and especially for Jesus Christ, for such an husband, such an head, such a surety and Saviour, and advocate with the Father, as he is; and for life, peace, joy, comfort, righteousness, and salvation in him: and thanks should be given to God in every circumstance of life; in adversity, as Job did; when not in so comfortable and agreeable a frame of soul as to be wished for, since it might be worse, and is not black despair; even under the temptations of Satan, since they might be greater and heavier, and since the grace of God is sufficient to bear up under them, and deliver out of them, and since there is such a sympathizing high priest and Saviour; and in afflictions of every kind, since they are all for good, temporal, or spiritual, or eternal.

For this is the will of God;
which may refer either to all that is said from ( 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ) to this passage, or particularly to this of giving thanks; which is the revealed and declared will of God, is a part of that good, perfect, and acceptable will of his, and what is well pleasing in his sight, and grateful to him; see ( Psalms 69:30 Psalms 69:31 ) and is

in Christ Jesus concerning you;
either declared in and by him, who has made known the whole of the will of God, and so the Arabic version, "which he wills of you by Jesus Christ"; or which is exemplified in Christ, who for, and in all things, gave thanks to God, and had his will resigned to his in every circumstance of life; or, which being done, is acceptable to God through Christ. The Alexandrian copy reads, "for this is the will of God towards you in Christ Jesus"; that is, with respect to you who are in Christ secretly by election, and openly by the effectual calling; and who, of all men in the world, have reason to be thankful for everything, and in every circumstance.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible