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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 5:4

2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

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 you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
• Colossians 1:13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
• 1 John 2:8At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
• Deuteronomy 19:6lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past.
• Deuteronomy 28:15"But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.
• Jeremiah 42:16then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die.
• Hosea 10:9From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel; there they have continued. Shall not the war against the unjust overtake them in Gibeah?
• Zechariah 1:6But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, 'As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he 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