English Standard Version
1 Thessalonians 4:15
15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
- New International Version (NIV)According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
- New Living Translation (NLT)We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 4:15
13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 41 Thessalonians 4:15 word by word
Τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν λέγομεν ἐν λόγῳ κυρίου ὅτι ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι εἰς τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ κυρίου οὐ μὴ φθάσωμεν τοὺς κοιμηθέντας·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- we sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- which are aliveὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- which are aliveζάωzaō · to liveG2198
- remainπεριλείπομαιperileipō · to remainG4035
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the comingπαρουσίαparousia · comingG3952
- shallφθάνωphthanō · to precede/arriveG5348
- notοὐou · noG3756
- notμήmē · notG3361
- them which are asleepκοιμάωkoimaō · to sleepG2837
Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 4:15
- 1 Kings 13:1And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings.
- 1 Kings 20:35And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the Lord, "Strike me, please." But the man refused to strike him.
- 1 Kings 22:14But Micaiah said, "As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak."
- 1 Corinthians 15:51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
- 2 Corinthians 4:14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
- Job 41:11Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
- Psalms 88:13But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
- Psalms 119:147I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.
- Matthew 17:25He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?"
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 4:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15This we say unto you by the word of the Lord - This I have, by express revelation, from the Lord: what he now delivers, he gives as coming immediately from the Spirit of God. Indeed, human reason could not have found out the points which he immediately subjoins; no conjectures could lead to them. Allowing even the general doctrine of the resurrection to be believed, yet what follows does not flow from the premises; they are doctrines of pure revelation…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord - By the command or inspired teaching of the Lord. Prof. Bush (Anastasis, p. 265) supposes that the apostle here alludes to what the Saviour says in Matthew 24:30-31, “And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven,” etc. It is possible that Paul may have designed a general allusion to all that the Lord had said about his coming, but there cannot have been an exclusive reference to that…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 Here is comfort for the relations and friends of those who die in the Lord. Grief for the death of friends is lawful; we may weep for our own loss, though it may be their gain. Christianity does not forbid, and grace does not do away, our natural affections. Yet we must not be excessive in our sorrows; this is too much like those who have no hope of a better life. Death is an unknown thing, and we know little about the state after death; yet…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15By the word of the Lord: The teachings of Jesus gave Paul assurance for the Thessalonians (see Matthew 24:29–31, 40–41). will by no means precede: Paul assures the Thessalonians that when the Lord returns, the dead will not be at a disadvantage. They will participate equally in the resurrection. In talking about the return of Jesus, Paul uses a Greek term (parousia). It is often used to describe an emperor or king's grand arrival in a city (see 1…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. by the word of the Lord--Greek, "in," that is, in virtue of a direct revelation from the Lord to me. So 1Ki 20:35. This is the "mystery," a truth once hidden, now revealed, which Paul shows (1Co 15:51, 52). prevent--that is, "anticipate." So far were the early Christians from regarding their departed brethren as anticipating them in entering glory, that they needed to be assured that those who remain to the coming of the Lord "will not anticipate them…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 4:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 4
- 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
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