1 Thessalonians 5:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: but test everything; hold fast what is good.

NIV: but test them all; hold on to what is good,

NASB: but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good,

CSB: but test all things. Hold on to what is good.

NLT: but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.

KJV: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

NKJV: Test all things; hold fast what is good.

This verse follows Paul's instruction for the Thessalonians not to "despise" prophecies. This does not mean accepting any and every claim of prophetic speech, of course. Here, Paul helps his readers know how to respond to prophecy. He tells them to examine every prophecy to determine whether it is valid. If it passes examination, in the light of what the Scriptures teach (Isaiah 8:20), the believers should welcome it. The apostle John affirms Paul's admonition regarding prophecy. In 1 John 4:1 he writes: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." In a broader, sense, this is a useful tool for believers to apply to everything in their spiritual lives: a cautious, Scripture-tested approach.

Ephesians 4:11–12 lists "prophets" among those whom God gave to the church to help her develop spiritually. Now that God's Word has been delivered, the need for this kind of ministry has passed. The equivalent to "prophesying" today can be described as the act of forth-telling, not fore-telling. This is carried out by the forth-telling of God's written Word by teachers and preachers. Believers today should test messages that teachers and preachers claim to be from God. The test is not whether a preacher looks good or has a pleasing personality; it is whether his message aligns with the Word of God.

First Thessalonians 5:12–22 gives the Thessalonian believers a series of exhortations. As children of the day, who were anticipating the Lord's return, they needed to live righteously. As a church, they needed to relate well to their leadership. Paul calls upon them to treat all their fellow believers kindly and patiently and to do good to one another. Paul admonishes the believers to be joyful at all times and to keep on praying. Constant thanksgiving was to mark their lives. Further, Paul tells his readers not to quench the Holy Spirit or to have a negative attitude toward prophetic ministries. However, they were supposed to keep a firm grasp on teachings that they tested and found to be true. Lastly, Paul directs his readers to avoid every kind of evil.

First Thessalonians chapter 5 reiterates that the rapture will occur quickly, catching the unbelieving world unprepared. In contrast, Paul presents faithful Christians as those who are aware and ready for this event. This passage uses the contrast of day versus night to highlight those differences. Paul also completes his letter by offering various practical instructions. These include the need to be peaceful, hardworking, and forgiving. He also commends constant prayer and an attitude of joyfulness, before closing his letter with a command for this letter to be read aloud.

The end of chapter 4 discussed the nature of the rapture: a sudden, physical ''taking away'' of believers from the earth. Here, Paul continues to refer to this event's sudden and dramatic nature. A key analogy used in this passage is that of daytime versus darkness, and the concept of being awake and alert. As with many of Paul's letters, practical instructions make up the bulk of his closing statements. In particular, Paul adds a command that this letter be read aloud among all of the people of the Thessalonian church.

The apostle Paul's second missionary journey included a visit to the prominent Greek city of Thessalonica. This stood alongside a major land route and boasted a busy seaport. A number of individuals believed Paul's message (Acts 17:1–4), but an angry mob forced Paul to leave the city after his brief stay. Later, while in Athens, Paul received a glowing report: the believers at Thessalonica were growing spiritually and serving God fervently. However, they had questions about the Lord's return, including what happens to a believer who dies before that day. And, as all churches do, they had some areas in which they were falling short. In Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, written about AD 51, he addresses these developments. Paul expresses gratitude for the Thessalonian believers' spiritual progress, and frequently makes references to Christ's impending return.