But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape.
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you {Some ancient authorities read as thieves.}as a thief:
for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness;
so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober.
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that are drunken are drunken in the night.
But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
For God appointed us not unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us, that, whether we {Or, watch}wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Wherefore {Or, comfort chapter 4:18.}exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do.
But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
and to esteem them exceeding highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all.
See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all.
Rejoice always;
pray without ceasing;
in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.
Quench not the Spirit;
despise not prophesyings;
{Many ancient authorities insert but.}prove all things; hold fast that which is good;
abstain from every form of evil.
And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the {Or, presence}coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it.
Brethren, pray for us {Some ancient authorities add also.}.
Salute all the brethren with a holy kiss.
I adjure you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the {Many ancient authorities insert holy.}brethren.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Querverweise zu 1. Thessalonicher 5,21 1Thes 5,21
To the {Or, teaching}law and to the testimony! {Or, surely according to this word shall they speak for whom there is no morning}if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
and what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:
but your eyes have seen all the great work of Jehovah which he did.
Therefore shall ye keep all the commandment which I command thee this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go over to possess it;
and that ye may prolong your days in the land, which Jehovah sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
And he said unto them, Set your heart unto all the words which I testify unto you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, even all the words of this law.
And he called to him the multitude again, and said unto them, Hear me all of you, and understand:
there is nothing from without the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man. {Many ancient authorities insert verse 16 If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear. See chapter 4.9, 23.}
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For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over the Jordan to possess it.
And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
My son, forget not my {Or, teaching}law;But let thy heart keep my commandments:
Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes;Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
So shall they be life unto thy soul,And grace to thy neck.
Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely,And {Hebrew: thou shall not dash thy foot.}thy foot shall not stumble.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
And be not fashioned according to this {Or, age}world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is {Or, the will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect}the good and {Greek: well-pleasing.}acceptable and perfect will of God.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go:Keep her; for she is thy life.
For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.
Bind them continually upon thy heart;Tie them about thy neck.
When thou walkest, it shall lead thee;When thou {Hebrew: liest down.}sleepest, it shall watch over thee;And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
For {Or, their commandment}the commandment is a lamp; and {Or, their teaching}the law is light;And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
Now the {Or, unspiritual Greek: psychical.}natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually {Or, examined}judged.
Buy the truth, and sell it not;Yea, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
But he that is spiritual {Or, examineth}judgeth all things, and he himself is {Or, examined}judged of no man.
It was but a little that I passed from them,When I found him whom my soul loveth:I held him, and would not let him go,Until I had brought him into my mother's house,And into the chamber of her that conceived me.
but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples;
proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord;
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me.
so that ye may {Or, distinguish the things that differ}approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ;
who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad; and he exhorted them all, {Some ancient authorities read that they would cleave unto the purpose of their heart in the Lord.}that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord:
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
I know thy works, and thy toil and {Or, stedfastness}patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false;
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not {Or, void}vain in the Lord.
only, whereunto we have attained, by that same rule let us walk.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are {Greek: reverend.}honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are {Or, gracious}of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, {Greek: take account of.}think on these things.
So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours.
This thou knowest, that all that are in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts,
Alexander the coppersmith {Greek: showed.}did me much evil: the Lord will render to him according to his works:
let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:
Nevertheless that which ye have, hold fast till I come.
Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep it, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown.