But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you. 2For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord1 comes like a thief in the night. 3For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape. 4But you, brothers, aren’t in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief. 5You are all children of light, and children of the day. We do not belong to the night, nor to darkness, 6so then let’s not sleep, as the rest do, but let’s watch and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunken are drunken in the night. 8But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9For God2 did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our LORD ‘ISA3 AL-MASIH4, 10who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.
12But we beg you, brothers, to recognize those who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, 13and to respect and honour them in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
14We exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient toward all. 15See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good, for one another, and for all.
16Rejoice always. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in AL-MASIH ‘ISA toward you.
19Do not quench the Spirit5. 20Do not despise prophecies. 21Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.
23May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our LORD ‘ISA AL-MASIH.
24Faithful is he who calls you, who will also do it. 25Brothers, pray for us. 26Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27I solemnly charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.
28The grace of our LORD ‘ISA AL-MASIH be with you. Amen.
- 5:2 Lord, translated from the Greek kurios. Depending on context, it can refer to: 1. God, 2. ’ISA AL-MASIH, 3. men in authority, such as kings, landlords, etc., 4. a respectful salutation meaning, “sir.” ↩︎
- 5:9 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 5:9 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 5:9 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 5:19 Spirit, or Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God; not an angel, created being, nor an impersonal force, but the uncreated, eternal Spirit of God himself. The Spirit was present and active at the creation of heaven and earth (see Genesis 1:2), and today lives inside of every follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH, empowering them to live in a way pleasing to God. ↩︎