1 Thessalonians 5:5 kjv
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 nkjv
You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 niv
You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 esv
For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 nlt
For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night.
1 Thessalonians 5 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Thess 5:5 | You are all children of light and children of the day. | Gen 1:3, 5 (God created light; separated light from darkness) |
| Eph 5:8 | For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light | Ps 36:9 (In your light we see light) |
| John 1:9 | The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. | Isa 9:2 (People walking in darkness have seen a great light) |
| Matt 5:14 | "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden." | John 8:12 (Jesus said, "I am the light of the world.") |
| Rom 13:12 | The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. | Eph 5:11 (Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.) |
| 1 John 2:8 | Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. | Gal 5:22-23 (Fruit of the Spirit contrasted with works of flesh) |
| 1 Cor 15:34 | Come to your senses and stop sinning; for some of you do not know God; I say this to your shame. | Phil 2:15 (shining like stars in the universe) |
| Eph 5:14 | This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” | Col 1:13 (He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,) |
| 1 Thess 5:6 | So let us not sleep like the rest, but let us stay alert and sober. | Eph 5:15-16 (Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity) |
| 1 Thess 5:1 | Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates, we do not need to write to you, | Matt 24:36 (But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven) |
| Acts 26:18 | to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ | 1 Pet 2:9 (But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession) |
| John 3:19-20 | This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. | Psalm 139:11-12 (If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”) |
| Rom 13:11 | And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. | Luke 16:8 (For the people of this world in their own generation are more shrewd than the people of light.) |
| 1 John 1:5-7 | This is the message we heard from him and now declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not do what is true. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. | Isa 60:1-3 (Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.) |
| 1 Thess 5:2 | For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. | 2 Pet 3:10 (But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar;) |
| Matt 13:43 | Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. | Rev 21:23-24 (The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it its light,) |
| 1 Thess 5:7-8 | For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us sober up and put on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. | Prov 4:18 (The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full daylight.) |
| 2 Cor 6:14 | Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteously with unrighteously? Or fellowship has light has no fellowship with darkness? | Eph 5:7, 11 (Therefore do not be partners with them. Have nothing to do with fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.) |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. | Ps 119:105 (Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.) |
| Acts 2:14-21 | ...God has poured out his Spirit...Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days... | Joel 2:28-29 (It will happen after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind.) |
1 Thessalonians 5 verses
1 Thessalonians 5 5 Meaning
Believers are children of light and children of the day. They are not part of the darkness or the night, therefore they do not belong to the realm of sin and condemnation, which are associated with spiritual darkness. They are awake, vigilant, and sober, living in the day of Christ's coming, not to be surprised by His return.
1 Thessalonians 5 5 Context
1 Thessalonians chapter 5 begins with Paul addressing the timing of the Lord's return. He assures the believers that they do not need to be anxious about the specific date or hour, as it will come unexpectedly like a thief in the night for the unbelieving world. However, for believers, who are children of light and children of the day, Christ's coming should be anticipated with sober watchfulness. This verse is part of Paul's exhortation to live a life worthy of the day of the Lord, free from the confusion and surprise that will overwhelm the ungodly. The letter was written to the church in Thessalonica, a young and growing church facing persecution and some misunderstanding regarding eschatological events.
1 Thessalonians 5 5 Word Analysis
Verses (Gk: stíchos) - a line, row; in later usage, a verse of scripture.
all (Gk: hymeis) - you (plural). Refers to all believers addressed.
are (Gk: iste) - from eimi, "to be." Indicates a state of being or identity.
children (Gk: tekna) - offspring, descendants; used figuratively for those who resemble or belong to someone.
of (Gk: ek) - out of, from. Indicates source or origin.
light (Gk: photos) - light, illumination, brightness. Symbolically represents God's presence, truth, righteousness, and salvation.
and (Gk: kai) - a coordinating conjunction.
children (Gk: tekna) - as above.
of (Gk: ek) - as above.
the (Gk: tes) - the definite article.
day (Gk: hemeras) - day, daylight. Symbolically refers to the period of Christ's return, God's intervention, and the new era of salvation.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Children of light" (tekna photos) and "children of the day" (tekna hemeras) are parallel phrases, emphasizing a shared identity and belonging. This designation highlights that believers have been brought out of spiritual darkness into God's illuminating truth and the eternal day of His presence.
- The contrast implied between "children of the day" and the "night" and "sleepers" mentioned later in the chapter underscores the expected spiritual alertness and sobriety of believers.
1 Thessalonians 5 5 Bonus Section
The imagery of "children of light" and "children of the day" draws heavily from Old Testament concepts. God's creative act of separating light from darkness in Genesis (Gen 1:3-5) sets a foundational metaphor for His redemptive work. Throughout the Psalms and prophetic books, light is consistently associated with God's presence, guidance, truth, and salvation, while darkness represents sin, ignorance, and destruction. Believers, by their identification with Christ, partake in this divine light. This verse echoes the theme in Ephesians 5:8, where believers are urged to "live as children of light," contrasting with their former state of darkness. The distinction between day and night here is not merely temporal but deeply symbolic of the spiritual realities of belonging either to God and His kingdom or to the realm of spiritual darkness under the influence of sin and the enemy.
1 Thessalonians 5 5 Commentary
Believers are not of the night or of darkness, signifying they are not subject to its destructive consequences. Their new identity in Christ is characterized by divine light and the hope of the glorious day of His coming. This position calls for a vigilant and sober lifestyle, distinguishing them from the spiritually slumbering world. They are marked by the spiritual illumination that allows them to understand God's purposes and await the Lord's return with eager anticipation, not dread.
- Practical Usage:
- Recognize your divine calling out of darkness into His marvelous light, influencing your daily actions.
- Live in expectation of Christ's return, making every day count for His glory.
- Maintain spiritual alertness, avoiding the lethargy that characterizes those who are unaware of or indifferent to spiritual realities.