Bible Strands
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Thessalonian church, placing this command between his warning against night-time passivity (v. 7) and his declaration that God’s purpose for them is salvation, not wrath (v. 9).
The words — νήφωμεν (nēphōmen) literally means to abstain from intoxication and maintain clear judgment, while ἐνδυσάμενοι (endusamenoi) denotes the active, ongoing process of clothing oneself with protective gear.
The thread — The day-night contrast and call to readiness appear in Romans 13:12 and 1 Peter 1:13, while the military clothing metaphor is expanded in Ephesians 6:11.
Why it lands — The text commands believers to reject spiritual lethargy and actively adopt faith, love, and hope as defensive equipment because their established identity is that of the day.
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
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.
Cross-references
- Romans 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
- 1 Peter 1:13 Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.
- Isaiah 59:17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in a cloak of zeal.
- Hebrews 10:35 So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
- 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.
- Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
- Romans 5:2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:5 For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
- Job 19:23 I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book,