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.
• 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.
• 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 know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake 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, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
• Colossians 1:13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
• 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 John 2:8Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
• Deuteronomy 19:6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought.
• Deuteronomy 28:15However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:
• Jeremiah 42:16then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die.
• Hosea 10:9“Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel, and there you have remained. Will not war again overtake the evildoers in Gibeah?
• Zechariah 1:6But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? “Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’ ”

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