1 Thessalonians 5:4

1 Thessalonians 5:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
• New International Version (NIV)But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 5:4

2For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction 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. 5For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. 6So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled.

1 Thessalonians 5:4 word by word

ὑμεῖς δέ, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σκότει, ἵνα ἡ ἡμέρα ὑμᾶς ὡς κλέπτης καταλάβῃ·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• yeσύsu · youG4771
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• darknessσκότοςskotos · darknessG4655
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• that dayὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• should overtakeκαταλαμβάνωkatalambanō · to graspG2638
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a thiefκλέπτηςkleptēs · thiefG2812

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 5:4

• Romans 13:11Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
• Colossians 1:13He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
• 1 John 2:8Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
• Deuteronomy 19:6Otherwise, the avenger of blood in the heat of his anger might pursue the one who committed manslaughter, overtake him because the distance is great, and strike him dead. Yet he did not deserve to die, since he did not previously hate his neighbor.
• Deuteronomy 28:15“But if you do not obey the Lord your God by carefully following all his commands and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overtake you:
• Jeremiah 42:16then the sword you fear will overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine you are worried about will follow on your heels there to Egypt, and you will die there.
• Hosea 10:9Israel, you have sinned since the days of Gibeah; they have taken their stand there. Will not war against the unjust overtake them in Gibeah?
• Zechariah 1:6But didn’t my words and my statutes that I commanded my servants the prophets overtake your ancestors? ’” So the people repented and said, “As the Lord of Armies decided to deal with us for our ways and our deeds, so he has dealt with us.”

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 5:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness - Probably St. Paul refers to a notion that was very prevalent among the Jews, viz.: that God would judge the Gentiles in the night time, when utterly secure and careless; but he would judge the Jews in the day time, when employed in reading and performing the words of the law. The words in Midrash Tehillim, on Psalm 9:8, are the following: When the holy blessed God shall judge the Gentiles, it shall be in the night…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief - The allusion here is to the manner in which a thief or robber accomplishes his purpose. He comes in the night, when people are asleep. So, says the apostle, the Lord will come to the wicked. They are like those who are asleep when the thief comes upon them. But it is not so with Christians. They are, in relation to the coming of the day of the Lord, as people are who are…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The day of the Lord will not surprise Christians. This is not because they know exactly when Jesus will come again, but because they are spiritually ready.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. not in darkness--not in darkness of understanding (that is, spiritual ignorance) or of the moral nature (that is, a state of sin), Ep 4:18. that--Greek, "in order that"; with God results are all purposed. that day--Greek, "THE day"; the day of the Lord (He 10:25, "the day"), in contrast to "darkness." overtake--unexpectedly (compare Joh 12:35). as a thief--The two oldest manuscripts read, "as (the daylight overtakes) thieves" (Job 24:17). Old…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 5:4

• Blindness
• Darkness
• Righteous
• Watchfulness
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• That Day
• Edify
• Greet
• Patient
• Peter, Second Epistle of
• Quench
• Render
• Sudden
• Warn
• Day of the Lord (yahweh)

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings