1 Thessalonians 4:11

1 Thessalonians 4:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
• New International Version (NIV)and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,
• English Standard Version (ESV)and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,
• New King James Version (NKJV)that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,

Context of 1 Thessalonians 4:11

9Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 10And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you. 12In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need. 13Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 word by word

καὶ φιλοτιμεῖσθαι ἡσυχάζειν καὶ πράσσειν τὰ ἴδια καὶ ἐργάζεσθαι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσὶν ὑμῶν καθὼς ὑμῖν παρηγγείλαμεν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• that ye studyφιλοτιμέομαιphilotimeomai · to aspireG5389
• to be quietἡσυχάζωhēsuchazō · be quiet/give upG2270
• to doπράσσωprassō · to do/requireG4238
• businessἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
• to workἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• we commandedπαραγγέλλωparaggellō · to orderG3853

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 4:11

• Proverbs 17:1Better is a dry crust of bread where there is quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
• Ecclesiastes 4:6Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind.
• Lamentations 3:26It is good to wait patiently for deliverance from the Lord.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:12Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat.
• 1 Timothy 2:2even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
• 1 Peter 3:4but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
• Romans 15:20And in this way I desire to preach where Christ has not been named, so as not to build on another person’s foundation,
• 2 Corinthians 5:9So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him.
• Mark 13:34It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves in charge, assigning to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert.
• Luke 12:42The Lord replied, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his household servants, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?
• Romans 12:4For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function,
• Colossians 3:22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching – like those who are strictly people-pleasers – but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:11For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others.
• 1 Timothy 5:13And besides that, going around from house to house they learn to be lazy, and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not.
• 1 Peter 4:10Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.
• Acts 20:35By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 4:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11That ye study to be quiet - Though in general the Church at Thessalonica was pure and exemplary, yet there seem to have been some idle, tattling people among them, who disturbed the peace of others; persons who, under the pretense of religion, gadded about from house to house; did not work, but were burdensome to others; and were continually meddling with other people's business, making parties, and procuring their bread by religious gossiping. To these…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11And that ye study to be quiet - Orderly, peaceful; living in the practice of the calm virtues of life. The duty to which he would exhort them was that of being subordinate to the laws; of avoiding all tumult and disorder; of calmly pursuing their regular avocations, and of keeping themselves from all the assemblages of the idle, the restless, and the dissatisfied. No Christian should be engaged in a mob; none should be identified with the popular…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-12Verses 9-12 We should notice in others what is good, to their praise, that we may engage them to abound therein more and more. All who are savingly taught of God, are taught to love one another. The teaching of the Spirit exceeds the teachings of men; and men's teaching is vain and useless, unless God teach. Those remarkable for this or any other grace, need to increase therein, as well as to persevere to the end. It is very desirable to have a calm and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11to live quietly means being worthy of respect and not causing problems in the community. work with your hands: The apostle Paul had previously instructed through his teaching and personal example that they should earn their own living (see Thessalonians 3:7–9; 10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. study to be quiet--Greek, "make it your ambition to be quiet, and to do your own business." In direct contrast to the world's ambition, which is, "to make a great stir," and "to be busybodies" (2Th 3:11, 12). work with your own hands--The Thessalonian converts were, it thus seems, chiefly of the working classes. Their expectation of the immediate coming of Christ led some enthusiasts among them to neglect their daily work and be dependent on the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 4:11

• Commandments
• Evil
• Honesty
• Industry
• Labor

In the dictionaries

• Asleep
• Poor
• Quiet
• Rise
• Sleep
• Trump
• Ambitious
• Business
• Disorderly
• Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul 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