New International Version
1 Thessalonians 4:7
7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 4:7
5not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. 9Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 41 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 11:44I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.
- Leviticus 19:2“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
- Romans 1:7To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Romans 8:29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
- 1 Corinthians 1:2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
- Ephesians 1:4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
- Ephesians 2:10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
- Ephesians 4:1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
- 2 Timothy 1:9He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
- Hebrews 12:14Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
- 1 Peter 1:14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
- 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:3For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.
- Galatians 5:19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
- Ephesians 4:19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
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
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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