Rejoice always; pray without ceasing.

 

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:15: "Be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil; instead, always pursue what is good, both toward one another and toward all people."

The term translated as "evil"—*kakon* (κακὸν) or *kakou* (κακοῦ)—derives from the root *kakos* (κακός), which signifies something devoid of value. For instance, debates within the church—such as whether one must strictly observe the Ten Commandments or whether such observance is unnecessary—are, in essence, discussions lacking any true value. The instruction not to repay evil for evil means that one should not respond to such valueless discourse with equally valueless rhetoric.

To those who insist on the necessity of keeping the Ten Commandments, the call is to look beyond the compulsion to adhere to the letter of the law and instead perceive the underlying will of God through the perspective of the Holy Spirit. Consider the commandment, "Do not covet your neighbor’s possessions." This is not merely a matter of constantly reminding oneself to avoid coveting; rather, it is the realization that because every human being harbors greed—and because, as sinners, we are inherently incapable of freeing ourselves from it—we are beings who must inevitably die with Jesus Christ. It is an invitation to rely solely on the grace of God—a grace found in dying with Jesus and being born anew. This is what it means to pursue "the good" (*agathon*), and that which is good is that which possesses true value. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

The Greek word for "continually" (or "without ceasing") in the phrase "pray continually" is *adialeiptōs* (ἀδιαλείπτως), which means "steadfastly" or "constantly." It implies an unbroken life of prayer—not necessarily that one must pray for a set number of hours every single day, but rather that one’s life of prayer should never be interrupted.

1 Thessalonians 5:19–20: "Do not quench the Spirit; do not treat prophecies with contempt."

The Holy Spirit has two aspects: the Spirit of salvation and the Helper (the Advocate/Comforter). Receiving the Spirit of salvation corresponds to the sacrament of baptism; it is a gift from God bestowed upon those who are born again of water and the Spirit. Jesus instructed His disciples not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the Holy Spirit. The Spirit the disciples received at that time was both the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit who serves as a Helper.

While the Spirit of salvation brings about an internal transformation, the Helper (the Holy Spirit) provides strength from without—empowering believers to proclaim God’s Word and bear witness. For a believer today, being "born again" is equivalent to receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, while subsequently receiving the Holy Spirit as the Helper is what we call being "filled with the Holy Spirit." Therefore, "quenching the Spirit" refers to a failure to be filled with the Holy Spirit; thus, one must seek the Holy Spirit through prayer and supplication. 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22: "Test (*dokimazete*) everything; hold fast to what is good, and abstain from every form of evil."

The Greek term *dokimazete* (δοκιμάζετε) means to put something to the test. It implies that one should not blindly accept everything presented as "good," but rather examine it in the light of Scripture to determine whether it is truly good (valuable) or evil (valueless). That which is good is done with the mind of the Holy Spirit, while that which is valueless is done according to one’s own ideas or in a legalistic manner. Those who present their own words as if they were the absolute truth are false prophets.

1 Thessalonians 5:23: "May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul (*psyche*), and body be kept blameless at the coming (*parousia*) of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The term *parousia* (παρουσίᾳ) does not merely mean a "coming" (arrival), but rather the "presence" of the Lord. To experience the presence of the Lord, one must be united with Jesus Christ and enter into Him. Entering into Christ requires the death of the "body of the flesh" and a rebirth into a "spiritual body."

In the Revised Korean Bible, the term *psyche* is translated in various ways—such as "mind," "life," "fleshly life," "spirit/soul," or "soul." The translation "soul" (derived from English versions) is somewhat ambiguous regarding its true nature.

When the spirit—given by God—is joined to a body formed from the dust of the earth, the result is a "living being" (in Hebrew, *nephesh chay*). In Greek, this living being is called *psyche*; therefore, "fleshly life" (or "natural life") would be a more accurate translation. The transformation of this physical life into an eternal spiritual life—a resurrected life—marks the ultimate goal of salvation. The former physical life dies, and one is reborn into a new, spiritual, resurrected life (a spiritual body). Thus, the physical body dies, and a spiritual body is born.

1 Thessalonians 5:24: "The One who calls you is faithful, and He will surely do it."

The term *pistos* (πιστὸς) refers to One who is faithful and will certainly fulfill His promises. It emphasizes that God unfailingly carries out what He has promised—specifically, that He will faithfully accomplish the salvation of humanity through the predestination and revelation of Christ. The faith of a believer consists precisely in trusting in the Lord’s faithfulness. Such faith is a gift of grace bestowed by God.

1 Thessalonians 5:25–28: "Brothers, pray for us (*proseuchesthe*). Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord to have this letter read (*anagnosthenai*) to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

The word *proseuchesthe* (προσεύχεσθε) does not merely mean that the Thessalonians should pray for Paul and his companions; rather, it implies that they should pray regarding the issues Paul had identified within the Thessalonian church—issues that were a source of concern for him. Praying about these matters is, in effect, praying for Paul. Therefore, a more accurate translation would be: "Brothers, for our sake, pray that you may fulfill the will of God." This connects to the content of verse 27: the call to discern, through the Word, what has gone wrong. The term *anagnōsthēnai* (ἀναγνωσθῆναι) is in the passive voice, meaning "to be read." To be "empowered by the Lord" in this context implies that the letter is being read in the presence of the Lord—that is, it is being read "in heaven." Reading the Scriptures, in the true sense, means having them read in the heavenly realm; otherwise, reading the Bible merely serves to accumulate intellectual knowledge. It entails being moved in one’s heart and coming to understand the will of God.

At the end of chapter 5, the subscription found in the *Stephanus* edition of the Greek New Testament—"The First Epistle to the Thessalonians, written from Athens"—does not appear in the *Nestle-Aland* edition.