1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

1 Brothers and sisters, you don't need anyone to write to you about times and dates.

2 You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

3 When people say, "Everything is safe and sound!" destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won't be able to escape.

4 But, brothers and sisters, you don't live in the dark. That day won't take you by surprise as a thief would.

5 You belong to the day and the light not to the night and the dark.

6 Therefore, we must not fall asleep like other people, but we must stay awake and be sober.

7 People who sleep, sleep at night; people who get drunk, get drunk at night.

8 Since we belong to the day, we must be sober. We must put on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

9 It was not God's intention that we experience his anger but that we obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake in this life or asleep in death, we will live together with him.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 THESSALONIANS 5

In this chapter the apostle discourses concerning the suddenness of Christ's coming, and the necessity of sobriety and watchfulness, and being on our guard with respect unto it, and then proceeds to exhort to several duties of religion, and closes the epistle with prayers for the saints, salutations of them, advice unto them, and with his usual benediction. Having spoken of the coming of Christ in the preceding chapter, the apostle signifies he had no need to write of the time and season of it; since it was a well known thing that it would be sudden, and at an unawares, like the coming of a thief in the night, and the travail of a woman with child, though certain and inevitable; and would bring sure destruction on wicked men, unthought of by them, 1Th 5:1-3 but such was the state and condition of the saints, being not in the night of nature's darkness and unregeneracy, but enlightened by the spirit of God, that they were not ignorant of these things, nor liable to be surprised unawares hereby, 1Th 5:4,5, however, in consideration of their being in the light, and not in darkness, it became them to behave accordingly, and not indulge themselves in sleep and sloth, but be watchful and sober, and on their guard, having on their spiritual armour, 1Th 5:6-8 and the rather, since they were not appointed to the wrath they deserved, but to salvation by Christ; whose end in dying for them was, that they might live together with him, and therefore should exhort and comfort, and edify one another, 1Th 5:9-11 and then follow various exhortations, some, which respect their ministers, their knowledge of them, love to them, and esteem for them, on account of their dignity, office, work, and usefulness, 1Th 5:12,13 others, which concern themselves and one another, as church members, 1Th 5:13,14 others, which regard also them that are without, 1Th 5:14,15 and others which relate to joy and thanksgiving, to prayer and praise; to the gifts of the spirit, and the ministry of the word; and to a trial and examination of what is good, and an abiding by it, and an abstinence from all evil, and every appearance of it, 1Th 5:16-22 and the whole is concluded with prayers for them, for their perfect sanctification, and entire preservation to the coming of Christ; which were put up in faith, grounded upon the faithfulness of God who had called them to grace and glory, 1Th 5:23,24 and with a request to them to pray for him, and other ministers of the Gospel, and to salute all the brethren, 1Th 5:25,26 and with a charge to read this letter to them all, 1Th 5:27 and with his usual benediction, 1Th 5:28.