Bible Strands
1 Thessalonians 5:7
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Thessalonian church to contrast spiritual readiness with the conduct of those outside the faith. He places this statement directly between two commands for believers to stay awake and sober.
The words — The participle καθεύδοντες (katheudontes) and the verb καθεύδουσιν (katheudousin) both denote sleeping, while μεθυσκόμενοι (methuskomenoi) describes those in the process of becoming drunk. The conjunction γὰρ (gar) functions as a causal link to the preceding command.
The thread — This verse sits within the immediate context of 1 Thessalonians 5:6 and 1 Thessalonians 5:8. Similar warnings against drunkenness and spiritual unresponsiveness appear in Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 15:34; and 2 Peter 2:13.
Why it lands — The text states that individuals defined by spiritual lethargy or indulgence operate according to that pattern during the night. It asks the reader to consciously abandon that nocturnal behavior in order to fulfill the command to remain watchful and sober.
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
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
Cross-references
- Romans 13:13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
- 1 Corinthians 15:34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.
- 2 Peter 2:13 The harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you.
- Acts 2:15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!
- Daniel 5:4 As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
- Proverbs 23:29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?
- Isaiah 21:4 My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.
- Luke 21:34 But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.
- Ephesians 5:14 So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
- 1 Samuel 25:36 When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.