1 Thessalonians 1
1 Family, regarding durations and timing,a you do not have any need for us to write to you, 2 for you have already comeb to understand that the Lord’s Day will come in the same way as a thief in the night. 3 If people are saying, “Peace and security,”c then sudden destruction ambushes them, like a pregnant woman having contractions, and they certainly cannot escape it. 4 But you, Family, are not connected with the darkd so that the Day would overtakee you like a thief 5 because you all are heirs of light and heirsf of the Day. We are not of the night or of the dark.
6 Therefore, because of that, we should not sleep like everyone else, but instead, we should be alert and self-disciplined. 7 You see, those who sleep sleep at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But, since we are of the Day, we should be self-disciplined, putting on a breastplate, faithfulness and love, and a helmet, hope for liberation,g 9 since God did not appoint you for anger but for obtaining liberation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for our sake so that whether we are alert or asleep we could be alive along with him. 11 Because of this, encourage each other and each person provide supporth for the other, as you are already doing.
12 We ask you, Family, to notice those who are working hard among you, who are appointed to lead you regarding the Lord, who are instructing you in how to grow,i and who are comforting you. 13 We ask you to regard them with great respect,j with love, because of their effort.k Live in peace among yourselves. 14 We urge you, Family: Instruct those who are impulsive in how to grow, comfort those experiencing despair,l support those who are disempowered,m and be patient toward everyone. 15 See that no one repays anyone harm for harm. Instead, always pursue benefit for each other and for everyone. 16 Always rejoice, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks during everything; this is what God wants for you in connection with Christ Jesus. 19 Do not extinguish the Life-breath, 20 do not have contempt for prophecies, 21 but assess everything, hold onto what is beneficial, 22 and stay away from everything that seems to be a form of harm.n
23 May the God of Peace completely include the whole group of you in what is sacred, and may the whole group of you—body, life-breath, and very being—be taken care of without any cause for blameo at the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who is faithful is who is calling you and is who will accomplish it.
25 Family, pray for us too. 26 Greet each member of the Family with a sacred kiss. 27 I want you to promise to the Lord to read this letter to all the members of the Family.
28 Good fortune from our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
FOOTNOTES:
a Or ‘times and seasons’ or ‘periods and moments.’ Both Greek words are related to timing. The first is chronos which is the more general word for ‘time’ and its flow, and ‘a time’ would be more about the duration or length of time in view, rather than what place on the clock something happened. The second word is kairos, and it refers to a specific time, as in the particular moment something happens. It’s about the moment, and again, not a specific place on the clock. The word hora, commonly translated as ‘hour’ would be more like a particular time of day. Narrowing down the specific date and time in scripture is usually referred to by hemera kai hora or ‘day and hour.’ However, there is considerable overlap of meaning between all these words, and they can often be used somewhat interchangeably.
b Literally, ‘you yourselves have come’
c See Jeremiah 6-8, especially 6:14 and 8:11.
d Or ‘in the dark’ or ‘in darkness’ or ‘connected with darkness’
e Or ‘catch’
f Literally, ‘sons.’ It carries a sense here of those who are affiliated with and are committed to a way of being aligned with something, like the “Sons of Liberty” during the American Revolution. It has nothing to do with gender in this context. Perhaps something like ‘advocates’ or ‘champions’ or ‘representatives’ could work to convey the idea here.
g Reference to Isaiah 59:17
h Literally, ‘build each other (like a house)’
i Traditionally, ‘admonishing you.’ The word carries the meaning of instructing regarding avoiding inappropriate or undesirable behavior.
j Literally, ‘more than abundantly’ or ‘very highly’
k Or ‘work’ or ‘actions’ or ‘accomplishments’
l Perhaps, ‘those who are dispirited.’ Literally, the word is a compound of ‘small’ and ‘living being/soul/life energy/the core of the person’ (psuche).
m There are several ways this word could be translated, and they could all be appropriate here. The basic meaning is ‘powerless’ or ‘without strength.’ It was often used for those who were weakened by illness as well as those who were ineffectual in other ways, including because of social standing, will power, and temperament.
n Traditionally, ‘evil.’ The core meaning is something that causes hardship or harm.
o Perhaps, ‘flawlessly’