1 Thessalonians 4:7

1 Thessalonians 4:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
• New International Version (NIV)For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 4:7

5not in the passionate, lustful way of people who don’t know God. 6No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this. God didn’t call us to be sexually immoral but to be holy. 8Therefore, whoever rejects this ⌞order⌟ is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. 9You don’t need anyone to write to you about the way Christians should love each other. God has taught you to love each other.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 word by word

οὐ γὰρ ἐκάλεσεν ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἁγιασμῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• hathκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• notοὐou · noG3756
• calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• untoἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• uncleannessἀκαθαρσίαakatharsia · impurityG167
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• untoἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• holinessἁγιασμόςhagiasmos · holinessG38

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 4:7

• Leviticus 11:44“Here is the reason: I am the Lord your God. You must live holy lives. Be holy because I am holy. Never become unclean by touching anything that swarms or crawls on the ground.
• Leviticus 19:2“Tell the whole congregation of Israel: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
• Romans 1:7To everyone in Rome whom God loves and has called to be his holy people. Good will and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are yours!
• Romans 8:29This is true because he already knew his people and had already appointed them to have the same form as the image of his Son. Therefore, his Son is the firstborn among many children.
• 1 Corinthians 1:2To God’s church that was made holy by Christ Jesus and called to be God’s holy people in the city of Corinth and to people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Ephesians 1:4Before the creation of the world, he chose us through Christ to be holy and perfect in his presence.
• Ephesians 2:10God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.
• Ephesians 4:1I, a prisoner in the Lord, encourage you to live the kind of life which proves that God has called you.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13We always have to thank God for you, brothers and sisters. You are loved by the Lord and we thank God that in the beginning he chose you to be saved through a life of spiritual devotion and faith in the truth.
• 2 Timothy 1:9God saved us and called us to be holy, not because of what we had done, but because of his own plan and kindness. Before the world began, God planned that Christ Jesus would show us God’s kindness.
• Hebrews 12:14Try to live peacefully with everyone, and try to live holy lives, because if you don’t, you will not see the Lord.
• 1 Peter 1:14Because you are children who obey God, don’t live the kind of lives you once lived. Once you lived to satisfy your desires because you didn’t know any better.
• 1 Peter 2:9However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:3When we encouraged you, we didn’t use unethical schemes, corrupt practices, or deception.
• Galatians 5:19Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity,
• Ephesians 4:19Since they no longer have any sense of shame, they have become promiscuous. They practice every kind of sexual perversion with a constant desire for more.

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 4:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7God hath not called us unto uncleanness - He is the creator of male and female, and the institutor of marriage, and he has called men and women to this state; but the end of this and all the other callings of God to man is holiness, not uncleanness. And they who use the marriage state as he directs, will find it conducive to their holiness and perfection.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For God hath not called us unto uncleanness - When he called us to be his followers, it was not that we should lead lives of impurity, but of holiness. We should, therefore, fulfil the purposes for which we were called into his kingdom. The word “uncleanness” ( ̓́ akatharsia), means, properly, “impurity, filth;” and then, in a moral sense, “pollution, lewdness,” as opposed to chastity; Romans 1:24; Romans 6:19; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7not … impurity … but … holiness: Compare with 1:4; 2:12; 5:23–24; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14; 1 Peter 1:15–16.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. unto uncleanness--Greek, "for the purpose of." unto--rather as Greek, "in"; marking that "holiness" is the element in which our calling has place; in a sphere of holiness. Saint is another name for Christian.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 4:7

• Adultery
• Chastity
• Holiness
• Injustice

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Asleep
• Quiet
• Rise
• Sleep
• Trump
• Sanctification
• Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul to the
• Thessalonians, First Epistle to the

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