Bible Strands
1 Thessalonians 5:19
Do not extinguish the Spirit.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Thessalonian church in a cluster of practical commands (vv. 18–22) about conduct in light of Christ's return. This verse sits between "give thanks in every circumstance" and "do not despise prophecies."
The words — σβέννυτε (sbennute), "do quench," is a present active imperative with the force of "do not keep putting out," evoking the image of stamping a fire. The same root family appears in 2 Timothy 1:6, where Paul urges Timothy to "fan into flame" the gift of God.
The thread — The prohibition against suppressing the Spirit recurs in Ephesians 4:30 ("do not grieve") and Acts 7:51 ("you always resist"), while 2 Timothy 1:6 flips the image to active cultivation. Together they frame a spectrum from active resistance to passive suppression to intentional nurturing.
Why it lands — The command assumes the Spirit is already at work in the reader and that specific behaviors — silencing prophecy, ignoring promptings, neglecting the gift — function as putting out a flame. It places responsibility on the believer for what they do or fail to do with the Spirit's presence.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Quench not the Spirit.
Cross-references
- Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- Acts 7:51 You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
- 2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
- 1 Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.
- Isaiah 63:10 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them.
- Nehemiah 9:30 You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.
- Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
- Genesis 6:3 So the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days shall be 120 years.”
- 1 Corinthians 14:30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop.
- Ephesians 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.