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1 Thessalonians 4 — Greek text and reception

Saints Translation: 1 Thessalonians 1–5 [V2]

Each card preserves the Greek reading and its textual and reception notes. This source provides a Greek study edition; Hebrew counterparts and Hebrew–Greek classifications are not supplied.

1 Thessalonians 4

Sanctification and honor

Verse 4:1

Greek–English Translation

Finally then, brothers, we ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you ought to walk and please God—just as you are indeed walking—you may abound still more.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The source explicitly acknowledges just as you are indeed walking before urging further growth. The repeated that construction is smoothed in English without deleting this acknowledgment. Reception: R16.

Verse 4:2

Greek–English Translation

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Instructions (parangeliai) are recalled as already given through the Lord Jesus. The verse identifies the authority behind them without inserting a list of commands not repeated here. Reception: R16.

Verse 4:3

Greek–English Translation

For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality,

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Sanctification is placed in apposition to God’s will, then unfolded through abstention from sexual immorality and the following infinitives. Porneia is not restricted here to adultery alone. Reception: R16.

Verse 4:4

Greek–English Translation

that each of you know how to acquire his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Skeuos is vessel; ktasthai is acquire or gain possession of. The phrase has been understood in relation to one’s body or a wife. Vessel and acquire keep the source image visible; the referent and idiomatic force remain open for specialist review. The translation does not present a modern paraphrase as an unambiguous lexical equivalent. Reception: R17.

Verse 4:5

Greek–English Translation

not in the passion of desire, as do the nations that do not know God;

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Not in the passion of desire qualifies the preceding vessel expression. The nations are further described as not knowing God; the wording should be read within the letter’s conversion contrast in 1:9. Reception: R17.

Verse 4:6

Greek–English Translation

that no one overstep and take advantage of his brother in the matter, because the Lord is an avenger concerning all these things, just as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The matter renders tō pragmati without inserting business or sexual intercourse. The preceding context concerns sexual conduct, but the wording of the warning remains explicit and general. Reception: R17.

Verse 4:7

Greek–English Translation

For God did not call us for impurity, but in sanctification.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The call is explicitly away from impurity and in sanctification. The two prepositions differ (epi and en); the rendering retains the sentence’s contrast without making them identical formulas. Reception: R18.

Verse 4:8

Greek–English Translation

Therefore, the one who rejects this rejects no human being, but God, who also gives His Holy Spirit to you.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Rejecting the instruction is described as rejection of God, not merely a person. Gives is present in the selected source; His Holy Spirit is directed to you, the addressed community. Reception: R18.

Love, quiet work, and public conduct

Verse 4:9

Greek–English Translation

Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for someone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The Greek has you have no need, followed by the active infinitive to write to you, with its subject left unexpressed. The idiomatic rendering supplies someone to convey that construction without making the recipients write to themselves. Reception: R19, R31.

Verse 4:10

Greek–English Translation

For you indeed do this toward all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, to abound still more,

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The praise extends to love practiced throughout Macedonia and is followed by an appeal to abound still more. Existing obedience and further growth are asserted together. Reception: R19, R31.

Verse 4:11

Greek–English Translation

and to make it your ambition to be quiet, to attend to your own affairs, and to work with your hands, just as we instructed you,

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Make it your ambition translates philotimeisthai, strikingly joined to being quiet. Attending to one’s affairs and working with one’s hands remain distinct instructions; quietness is not a command never to speak. Reception: R20, R31.

Text [G]: NA28 reads ταῖς [ἰδίαις] χερσίν in brackets (SBLGNT omits); the rendering above follows SBLGNT, and NA28 would read "with your own hands".R20 R31

Verse 4:12

Greek–English Translation

so that you may walk properly toward those outside and have need of no one.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Mēdenos can be masculine, no one, or neuter, nothing. No one is the chosen rendering in this work/support context; nothing remains a possible reading. Reception: R20, R31.

Those who have fallen asleep

Verse 4:13

Greek–English Translation

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are sleeping, so that you may not grieve as the rest do, who have no hope.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Sleeping is the death metaphor continued in 4:14–15; the main text does not use a term specifying a medical state or define the soul’s condition. Reception: R21.

Verse 4:14

Greek–English Translation

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so also God, through Jesus, will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Through Jesus renders dia tou Iēsou. It is placed with God’s bringing in this draft; attachment to those who fell asleep is also possible. With Him is retained, without inserting a destination absent from the verse. Reception: R21.

Verse 4:15

Greek–English Translation

For this we say to you by a word of the Lord: we who are alive, who remain until the Lord’s coming, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The strong negative ou mē means certainly not. The living will not precede those asleep; the we wording identifies the living group from the speaker’s standpoint without adding a dated prediction of Paul’s survival. Reception: R22.

Verse 4:16

Greek–English Translation

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a commanding cry, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: A commanding cry, an archangel’s voice, and God’s trumpet remain distinct phrases. No particular archangel’s name is supplied. Reception: R22.

Verse 4:17

Greek–English Translation

Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: Harpagēsometha is passive, will be caught up; clouds, meeting, and air are explicit. The verse supplies no schedule relative to later theological tribulation schemes. Reception: R22.

Verse 4:18

Greek–English Translation

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Textual and Reception Notes

Text [G]: The command is reciprocal: encourage one another. These words points back to the assurance of shared life with the Lord, showing the pastoral purpose of the preceding coming-and-resurrection passage. Reception: R22.