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    1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
    Lesson 396

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this lesson:

    ​Final instructions.
    Be respectful, and loving, comfort the fainthearted, support
    the     weak, be patient, be joyful, pray, give thanks, and avoid evil.
    (5:12-22).
     
    Final Benediction (5:23-28). 

    Study Tip:
     
    Whenever you see a theme repeated in the Bible, it is because God considers it important.
    Hover over these passages a little longer to fully grasp their meaning.​

    The First Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Thessalonians

    The King James Bible    ​




    1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
    Last instructions

    12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 
     
    13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

    14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

    15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

    16 Rejoice evermore.

    17 Pray without ceasing.

    18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

    19 Quench not the Spirit.

    20 Despise not prophesyings.

    21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

    22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

    23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

    25 Brethren, pray for us.

    26Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

    27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
    ​
    28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

    ​

    Margin notes:
     
    "We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord." (5:12) - "We beg you, brethren, to recognize (honor and respect) your church leaders."  Paul learned that members of the Thessalonica church were challenging their leaders.  Paul repeated his message to honor pastors in 1 Timothy 5:17. 
     
    "We exhort you." (5:14) - "We urge, encourage you."
     
    "Warn them that are unruly." (5:14) - "Warn those who are lazy, idle."
     
    "Comfort the feebleminded." (5:14) - "Encourage the fainthearted, the frightened, the spiritually timid."  Remember, Christians were persecuted (2 Thessalonians 1:4-6), and many were tempted to leave the church out of fear.
     
    "Support the weak." (5:14) - "Support those tempted to sin."
     
    "Be patient toward all men." (5:14) - Patience is an important feature of love.
     
    "See that none render evil for evil." (5:15) - "When wronged, do not seek revenge."  Paul repeats this command from Romans 12:17.  See also Proverbs 20:22 and 1 Peter 3:9.
     
    "Follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men." (5:15) - "Do good unto others, your fellow Christians and non-believers."
     
    "Rejoice." (5:16) - To rejoice means to celebrate, show great happiness, cheer, delight, and being exceedingly glad and joyful.  Being close to God is a blessing that brings joy and a thankful heart to believers.
     
    "Quench not the Spirit." (5:19) - "Don't extinguish the Holy Spirit."  Snubbing the Holy Spirit hinders your spiritual growth.
     
    "Despise not prophesyings." (5:20) - "Don't scorn God's teachings, biblical instructions."
     
    "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (5:21) - "Test all biblical teachings, believe that which is right and good."  This is a warning from Paul.  It was just thirty years after the crucifixion, and already, there were ministers teaching false doctrine.  Paul repeats this advice in 1 John 4:1.
     
    "And the very God of peace..." (5:23) - Verse 5:23 is a prayer asking God to make Christians holy and to preserve their spirit, soul, and body (the three parts that make up the whole person) until the Second Coming of Christ.
     
    "Faithful is he that calleth you." (5:24) - God is always faithful.  We can trust His word.  The Bible repeatedly reminds us that God is trustworthy (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
     
    "Holy kiss." (5:26) - A kiss on the cheek, forehead, or hand given as a sign of peace, respect, friendship, or love.  The Holy Kiss was an old Jewish custom that became commonplace in the early church (Matthew 26:49; Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20).  It is still practiced in some Eastern European and Russian Orthodox churches.
     
    "Epistle." (5:27) - "Letter."
     
    "Read unto all the holy brethren." (5:27) - "Read to all Christians."  Paul's epistle was meant for everyone, not just the Thessalonians.


                                                  New Living Translation 
     

    1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
    ​    Paul's Final Advice
     
    12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.

    13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.
     
    14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
     
    15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
     
    16 Always be joyful.

    17 Never stop praying.

    18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
     
    19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

    20 Do not scoff at prophecies,

    21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.

    ​22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
     
    Paul's Final Greetings
     
    23 Now 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.

    ​24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
     
    25 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.
     
    26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with Christian love.
     
    27 I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.
     
    28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 

    ​This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's question:
     
    1. What are the three commands in verses 5:15-18?




    "God answers prayer in the best way, not sometimes, but every time."
     
    Scottish evangelist Oswald Chambers (1874-1917).
    Answer:​ (Do you agree?) 
    ​
    1. The three commands are to rejoice (5:16), pray (5:17), and give thanks (5:18).  Rejoicing lifts our spirits and serves as a positive example for non-believers.  For believers, prayer is an essential part of their day.  Short, spontaneous prayers keep Christians in touch with God and are a vital part of their daily schedule.  Finally, giving thanks to God keeps us humble and acknowledges our dependence on His love and guiding hand.




    Application thought for the day:
     
    Everything that happens is part of God's plan (Romans 8:28). 
    So, "In everything give thanks." (5:18)
     
    Also -  
    Trust God, and no matter what happens, be thankful.
    ​This is the final lesson of "The First Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Thessalonians."
     
     In 1 Thessalonians, we learned the importance of being a good Christian and preparing
    for the Second Coming.  To reinforce these lessons, it is important to go back and review. 
     
     
    You will receive the first lesson in 2 Thessalonians in a few days.
     
    Thank you for continuing with the lessons and.  
    ​
    God Bless!
    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke.  Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible."  All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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