^5:1Now on the topic of times and seasons,¹ brothers and sisters,² you have no need for anything to be written to you. ^5:2For you know quite well that the day of the Lord³ will come in the same way as a thief in the night.⁴^5:3Now when⁵ they are saying, “There is peace and security,”⁶ then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains⁷ on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape. ^5:4But you, brothers and sisters,⁸ are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would. ^5:5For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. ^5:6So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober. ^5:7For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night. ^5:8But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate⁹ of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation.¹⁰^5:9For God did not destine us for wrath¹¹ but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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1 Thessalonians 5:6: So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

Footnotes

1 Grk “concerning the times and the seasons,” a reference to future periods of eschatological fulfillment (cf. Acts 1:7).
2 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
3 The day of the Lord is the period of time in the future when the Lord will intervene in the events of this earth to consummate his redemption and his judgment (Isa 2:11–12; 13:6–13; Ezek 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:32; 3:18; Amos 5:18–20; Obad 15–17; Zeph 1:7–18; 2:2–3; Zech 14:1, 13, 20–21; Mal 4:1, 5; 1 Cor 1:8; 5:5; 2 Cor 1:14; 2 Thess 2:2; 2 Pet 3:10). It includes both blessings and curses, though the latter is emphasized here.
4 Jesus used a thief coming at night as an illustration of the unexpected and hostile nature of the coming of God’s judgment in the future. This is repeated in various ways in v. 4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15.
5 δέ (de, “now”) is found in א2 B D 0226 6 1505 1739 1881 , but lacking in א* A F G 33 it. γάρ (gar, “for”) is the reading of the Byzantine text and a few other witnesses (Ψ 0278 𝔐). Although normally the shorter reading is to be preferred, the external evidence is superior for δέ (being found in the somewhat better Alexandrian and Western witnesses). What, then, is to explain the γάρ? Scribes were prone to replace δέ with γάρ, especially in sentences suggesting a causal or explanatory idea, thus making the point more explicit. Internally, the omission of δέ looks unintentional, a case of homoioarcton (ΟΤΑΝΔΕΛΕΓΩΣΙΝ). Although a decision is difficult, in this instance δέ has the best credentials for authenticity.
6 Grk “peace and security,” with “there is” understood in the Greek construction.
7 Grk a singular “birth pain.”
8 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
9 An allusion to Isa 59:17.
10 Grk “hope of salvation” (“a helmet … for salvation” is an allusion to Isa 59:17).
11 God did not destine us for wrath. In context this refers to the outpouring of God’s wrath on the earth in the day of the Lord (1 Thess 5:2–4).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 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 be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

About the times and the seasons: Brothers and sisters, you do not need anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled. 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 be self-controlled and put on the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

NLTNew Living Translation

Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves well know that the day of the Lord is coming in the same way as a thief in the night. Whenever they say “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will overtake them like the birth pains of a pregnant woman, and they will not possibly escape. But you, brothers, are not in the darkness, so that the day should catch you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

So then, we must not sleep like the rest, but must be on the alert and be self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But because we are of the day, we must be sober, by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation, because God did not appoint us for wrath, but for the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

KJV 1900King James Version

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 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. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

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