I Thessalonians 4:5
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not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
in the lust--Greek, "passion"; which implies that such a one is unconsciously the passive slave of lust. which know not God--and so know no better. Ignorance of true religion is the parent of unchastity (Eph 4:18-19). A people's morals are like the objects of their worship (Deu 7:26; Psa 115:8; Rom 1:23-24).
Open source ↗In this chapter the apostle gives earnest exhortations to abound in holiness, with a caution against uncleanness, enforced with several arguments (Th1 4:1-8). He then mentions the great duties of brotherly love, and quietness with industry in our callings (Th1 4:9-12). And concludes with comforting those who mourned for their relations and friends that died in the Lord (Th1 4:13-18).
Open source ↗4:5 Willful ignorance of God and his ways is the root of moral corruption (Rom 1:18-32; Eph 4:17-18). • lustful passion: Sexual immorality was often tolerated in the Mediterranean world. Prostitution was allowed, but sexual relations with another man’s wife were prohibited. Roman marriage customs barred women, but not men, from extramarital affairs. By contrast, Jewish and Christian authors alike prohibited all sexual involvement outside of marriage (Acts 15:20; 1 Cor 6:12-20; Col 3:5-6).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.
Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another.
For the Gentiles of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.