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 know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night. 3Now when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would. 5For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. 6So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and 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 13:11And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.
• Colossians 1:13He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves,
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
• 1 John 2:8On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
• Deuteronomy 19:6Otherwise the blood avenger will chase after the killer in the heat of his anger, eventually overtake him, and kill him, though this is not a capital case since he did not hate him at the time of the accident.
• Deuteronomy 28:15“But if you ignore the Lord your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force:
• Jeremiah 42:16the wars you fear will catch up with you there in the land of Egypt. The starvation you are worried about will follow you there to Egypt. You will die there.
• Hosea 10:9O Israel, you have sinned since the time of Gibeah, and there you have remained. Did not war overtake the evildoers in Gibeah?
• Zechariah 1:6But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers? Then they paid attention and confessed, ‘The Lord who rules over all has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.’”

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