1 Thessalonians 5:21

1 Thessalonians 5:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
• New International Version (NIV)but test them all; hold on to what is good,
• English Standard Version (ESV)but test everything; hold fast what is good.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 5:21

19Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22Stay away from every kind of evil. 23Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 word by word

πάντα δὲ δοκιμάζετε· τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Proveδοκιμάζωdokimazō · to testG1381
• all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
• hold fastκατέχωkatechō · to hold back/fastG2722
• that which is goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 5:21

• Isaiah 8:20Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.
• Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.
• Mark 7:14Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand.
• Luke 12:57“Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right?
• Acts 17:11And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.
• Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
• 1 Corinthians 2:11No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.
• 1 Corinthians 14:28But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.
• Ephesians 5:10Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
• Philippians 1:10For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.
• 1 John 4:1Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
• Revelation 2:2“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars.
• Deuteronomy 11:6They didn’t see what he did to Dathan and Abiram (the sons of Eliab, a descendant of Reuben) when the earth opened its mouth in the Israelite camp and swallowed them, along with their households and tents and every living thing that belonged to them.
• Deuteronomy 32:46he added: “Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions.
• Proverbs 3:1My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart.
• Proverbs 4:13Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 5:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Prove all things - Whatever ye hear in these prophesyings or preachings, examine by the words of Christ, and by the doctrines which, from time to time, we have delivered unto you in our preaching and writings. Try the spirits - the different teachers, by the word of God. Hold fast that which is good - Whatever in these prophesyings has a tendency to increase your faith, love, holiness, and usefulness, that receive and hold fast. There were prophets or…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Prove all things - Subject everything submitted to you to be believed to the proper test. The word here used ( ́ dokimazete), is one that is properly applicable to metals, referring to the art of the assayer, by which the true nature and value of the metal is tested; see notes, 1 Corinthians 3:13. This trial was usually made by fire. The meaning here is, that they were carefully to examine everything proposed for their belief. They were not to receive it…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 We are to rejoice in creature-comforts, as if we rejoiced not, and must not expect to live many years, and rejoice in them all; but if we do rejoice in God, we may do that evermore. A truly religious life is a life of constant joy. And we should rejoice more, if we prayed more. Prayer will help forward all lawful business, and every good work. If we pray without ceasing, we shall not want matter for thanksgiving in every thing. We shall see…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21Do not treat prophecies with contempt: No one should dismiss prophecy intended to spiritually strengthen the church (1 Corinthians 14:1–4). Instead, the Thessalonians should evaluate the prophecies to understand where they come from. Paul says they should make sure any prophecies align with the apostles' teachings (1 Corinthians 12:10; 14:29; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 John 4:1–3). The church should also assess the character of those who deliver the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2221-22. Some of the oldest manuscripts insert "But." You ought indeed not to "quench" the manifestations of "the Spirit," nor "despise prophesyings"; "but," at the same time, do not take "all" as genuine which professes to be so; "prove (test) all" such manifestations. The means of testing them existed in the Church, in those who had the "discerning of spirits" (1Co 12:10; 14:29; 1Jo 4:1). Another sure test, which we also have, is, to try the professed…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 5:21

• Commandments
• Perseverance
• Religion
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Edify
• Greet
• Patient
• Quench
• Render
• Sudden
• Warn
• Good
• Prove
• Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul to the

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