1 Thessalonians 4:13 — Community Reflections

1 THESSALONIANS 4:13 — KING JAMES VERSION 2

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope — 'asleep' (koimaomai) is the metaphor for death; the Thessalonians wrongly fear their deceased brothers are excluded from the parousia. Paul corrects the ignorance (agnoeo) with eschatological hope (elpis). Grief is not forbidden but is transformed by hope.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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Jonas ErikssonNote1mo ago

Grief Doesn't End Faith, It Expresses It

When my son died, I was angry at this verse at first. People kept quoting it to me as if the word 'hope' could somehow undo my devastation. But re-reading Paul's words years later, I realized I'd miss...

Carlos RiveraNote1mo ago

Grief With Hope

Paul doesn't say don't grieve - he says don't grieve like those who have no hope. Grief is real and allowed. But it's grief anchored in something. My friend died last year and I've been grieving hard...