1 Thessalonians 4:5 kjv
Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
1 Thessalonians 4:5 nkjv
not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;
1 Thessalonians 4:5 niv
not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;
1 Thessalonians 4:5 esv
not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;
1 Thessalonians 4:5 nlt
not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways.
1 Thessalonians 4 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Thessalonians | ...not in sensual passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. | 1 Thess. 4:5 (Original verse) |
| Genesis | God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase greatly." | Gen. 1:28 (Procreation as God's command) |
| Genesis | ...a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. | Gen. 2:24 (Foundation of marriage) |
| Proverbs | Let your Fountian be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth. | Prov. 5:18 (Joy in marital union) |
| Ecclesiastes | Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life... | Eccl. 9:9 (Enjoyment within marriage) |
| Matthew | Anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her guilty of adultery... | Matt. 5:32 (Divorce and immorality) |
| Mark | Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. | Mark 10:11 (Adultery through divorce) |
| 1 Corinthians | Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. | 1 Cor. 6:18 (Fleeing sexual sin) |
| 1 Corinthians | Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. | 1 Cor. 7:1 (Regarding sexual relations) |
| 1 Corinthians | But since sexual immorality should be dealt with a different way, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. | 1 Cor. 7:2 (Marriage as solution) |
| 1 Corinthians | A husband must not deprive the wife of her conjugal rights, nor a wife of hers. | 1 Cor. 7:4 (Mutual rights in marriage) |
| Galatians | The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery... | Gal. 5:19 (Acts of the flesh) |
| Ephesians | For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality; | 1 Thess. 4:3 (Will of God for purity) |
| Ephesians | ... that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, | Eph. 4:22 (Putting off the old self) |
| Colossians | Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust... | Col. 3:5 (Mortifying earthly desires) |
| Romans | For God did not appoint us to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, | 1 Thess. 5:9 (Salvation from wrath) |
| 1 Peter | ...that you should abstain from sexual immorality. | 1 Pet. 4:3 (Abstaining from sin) |
| Jude | ...in the same way these men also corrupt their bodies, defile the flesh, reject authority and slander glorious beings. | Jude 1:8 (Defilement of the body) |
1 Thessalonians 4 verses
1 Thessalonians 4 5 Meaning
This verse instructs believers not to yield to sexual immorality. It emphasizes the sanctity of the body and the proper, godly way to conduct marital relations, contrasting it with the unrestrained passions of unbelievers.
1 Thessalonians 4 5 Context
Chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians addresses practical Christian living, specifically concerning sexual purity and the conduct expected of believers. Paul is correcting misunderstandings or perhaps improper practices within the Thessalonian church regarding these matters. He emphasizes that God’s call is for holiness, not for impurity. The specific instruction in verse 5 contrasts the way of believers with the "sensual passion" of Gentiles, who were not living under God’s law and covenant.
1 Thessalonians 4 5 Word Analysis
- ou (ou): Not.
- en (en): In.
- pathos (pathos): Passion, strong emotion, desire, feeling, suffering. Here, it refers to uncontrolled or illicit desire or lust.
- tou (tou): Of.
- ethnos (ethnos): Nation, people, Gentiles. Refers to those outside the covenant people of Israel, particularly the non-Jewish world in this context.
- eleou (eleou): Knowing, understanding, perceiving. Implies an absence of true spiritual knowledge.
Groups of words:
- "ou en pathos tou ethnos": Not in passion of the Gentiles. This phrase highlights a key distinction between the Christian life and the lifestyle of those who do not know or follow God. It points to behavior driven by instinctual, unrestrained desires rather than divine principles.
1 Thessalonians 4 5 Bonus Section
The Greek word pathos (πάθος) carries the idea of intense emotion or desire that can easily lead to wrongdoing if not controlled by God’s Spirit. In contrast to the Old Testament emphasis on laws and the ceremonial separation of Israel, the New Testament emphasis for believers is on internal transformation and the indwelling Holy Spirit enabling them to live a life of holiness, including sexual purity, from the heart. The instruction here is not to eliminate passion in marriage, but to channel it within the godly framework God established. It also implies that those outside Christ are often unaware of God's specific standards for intimacy and might engage in practices that dishonor Him.
1 Thessalonians 4 5 Commentary
Paul clearly distinguishes the believer’s conduct in sexual matters from that of the unconverted world. The Christian life is to be marked by self-control and holiness, reflecting the character of God who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. The prohibition is not against marital intimacy itself, but against indulging in it with the uncontrolled, unholy passions characteristic of those who are ignorant of God's will and principles for His people. Sexual relations are to be exercised within the bounds of marriage, as intended by God, with purity and honor.