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Selected Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:6 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| 1Th 5:6 |
King James |
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
others--Greek, "the rest" of the world: the unconverted (Th1 4:13). "Sleep" here is worldly apathy to spiritual things (Rom 13:11; Eph 5:14); in Th1 5:7, ordinary sleep; in Th1 5:10, death.
watch--for Christ's coming; literally, "be wakeful." The same Greek occurs in Co1 15:34; Ti2 2:26.
be sober--refraining from carnal indulgence, mental or sensual (Pe1 5:8). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Therefore let us no sleep, as do others - As the wicked world does; compare notes, Mat 25:5.
But let us watch - That is, for the coming of the Lord. Let us regard it as an event which is certainly to occur, and which may occur at any moment; notes, Mat 25:13.
And be sober - The word here used (νήφω nēphō) is rendered sober in Th1 5:6, Th1 5:8; Pe1 1:13; Pe1 5:8; and watch in Ti2 4:5, and Pe1 4:7. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It properly means, to be temperate or abstinent, especially in respect to wine. Joseph. Jewish Wars, 5. 5, 7; Xenophon, Cyr. 7. 5, 20; and then it is used in a more general sense, as meaning to be sober-minded, watchful, circumspect. In this passage there is an allusion to the fact that persons not only sleep in the night, but that they are frequently drunken in the night also. The idea is, that the Lord Jesus, when he comes, will find the wicked sunk not only in carnal security, but in sinful indulgences, and that those who are Christians ought not only to be awake and to watch as in the day-time, but to be temperate. They ought to be like persons engaged in the sober, honest, and appropriate employments of the day, and not like those who waste their days in sleep, and their nights in revelry.
A man who expects soon to see the Son of God coming to judgment, ought to be a sober man. No one would wish to be summoned from a scene of dissipation to his bar. And who would wish to be called there from the ball-room; from the theater; from the scene of brilliant worldly amusemet? The most frivolous votary of the world; the most accomplished and flattered and joyous patron of the ball-room; the most richly-dressed and admired daughter of vanity, would tremble at the thought of being summoned from those brilliant halls, where pleasure is now found, to the judgment bar. They would wish to have at least a little time that they might prepare for so solemn a scene. But if so, as this event may at any moment occur, why should they not be habitually sober-minded? Why should they not aim to be always in that state of mind which they know would be appropriate to meet him? Especially should Christians live with such vigilance and soberness as to be always prepared to meet the Son of God. What Christian can think it appropriate for him to go up to meet his Saviour from the theater, the ballroom, or the brilliant worldly party? A Christian ought always so to live that the coming of the Son of God in the clouds of heaven would not excite the least alarm. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Others (οἱ λοιποί)
The rest, as Th1 4:13.
Let us watch (γρηγορῶμεν)
See on Mar 13:35, and comp. Eph 5:14.
Be sober (νήφωμεν)
Primarily in a physical sense, as opposed to excess in drink, but passing into the ethical sense of calm, collected, circumspect. Alert wakefulness and calm assurance will prevent their being surprised and confused by the Lord's coming, as by a thief in the night. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Awake, and keep awake - Being awakened, let us have all our spiritual senses about us. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Let us not sleep, as do others - Let us who are of the day - who believe the Gospel and belong to Christ, not give way to a careless, unconcerned state of mind, like to the Gentiles and sinners in general, who are stupefied and blinded by sin, so that they neither think nor feel; but live in time as if it were eternity; or rather, live as if there were no eternity, no future state of existence, rewards, or punishments.
Let us watch - Be always on the alert; and be sober, making a moderate use of all things. |
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.