Chapter V.
(Vers. 1, 2, 3.)
(Verse 1, 2, 3.) But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, there is no need for me to write to you; for you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people say, 'Peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. This is what the Lord spoke about in the Gospel, saying: 'Be watchful, for you do not know the hour when your Lord will come' (Mark 13:32). And again: If anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ,' or 'There he is,' do not believe it (Matthew 24:23). For immediately and unexpectedly he will appear, shining like lightning flashes from east to west, bringing with him the army of God the Father for the destruction of the antichrist and his followers. For when the wicked have been secure in the kingdom of the devil and have killed the saints, namely, Enoch and Elijah, they will rejoice in victory, exchanging gifts with one another, as the Apocalypse says (Revelation 11:7 and following). Then sudden destruction will come upon them. For Christ, in his coming, will destroy all of them; so that the holy ones, seeing that they have escaped, may glorify.
(Vers. 4, 5.)
(Verse. 4, 5.) But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that that day may overtake you like a thief; for all of you are children of light and children of the day: you are not of the night nor of darkness. In darkness signifies ignorance and falsehood, but in the day signifies knowledge and truth. Therefore, he says that Christians are not in darkness, but the Gentiles or unbelieving Jews are children of darkness; because they are worshippers of falsehood. Therefore, it signifies that the faithful should be secure; because they do not ignore the coming of the Lord, but anxiously await for Him to come. However, those who are ignorant and doubting about Him, He will suddenly catch them unawares and destroy them.
(Vers. 6-11.)
(Verse 6-11.) Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore, exhort one another and build each other up, as you are already doing. It is clear what he is saying; he reminds us not to act carelessly in the name of the Savior: therefore, we must fortify ourselves with three defenses, namely, faith, hope, and charity. For while faith remains, it stirs up hope; but hope is necessarily restless about the promise and does not sleep; charity, on the other hand, offers devotion to God, for it admits nothing contrary. Therefore, the Lord Jesus died for us and rose again, so that whether we are awake, that is, alive, or whether we are asleep, that is, dead, we may live together with him in eternal life. This is what he said above, that the faithful, both the dead and the living, will be taken to meet the Lord in his coming, and will always live with him. He teaches us to meditate on this and to build each other up in this understanding.
(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Vers. 12, 13.) But we ask you, brothers, to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. This is what he says in another letter (I Tim. 5:17) about honoring the elders with double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For it is possible that he who suffers poverty may feel reluctant to engage in the exercise that benefits the listeners. For what profit is it to have honor without fruit: or what great thing is it to offer carnal things to Him who bestows spiritual things? For just as riches beget negligence of salvation, so poverty, while seeking to be satiated, turns away from justice. Hence Solomon does not seek to become excessively rich; nor does he seek to become destitute. (Prov. XXX, 8). Nevertheless, this should be done in charity; so that the honor of the priest may be not so much from fear, but from love; so that it may also benefit Him who carries it out. For what is not done willingly does not lead to the desired result; although it may benefit the one taking action in the present, it will be of no advantage to the one giving in the future. And because disagreement generates many evils, it encourages them to be peaceful.
(Vers. 14-17.)
(Verses 14-17.) But we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you all. For it is necessary that some in the community be unruly, some timid, that is, fearful, and some weak in faith; therefore, he exhorts those who are level-headed and courageous, and founded in faith, with prayer, to assist them, so that they may be able to make progress, bearing with them; lest if a repayment of evils is made, they become worse. Therefore, nothing else but good should be pursued, not only in the case of brothers, but also in the case of everyone. For through good works, unbelievers can be drawn to faith, from which one may always rejoice in the Lord, that is, in what is good. Prayer must be constant; for diligent prayers prompt the judge's mind to grant mercy. Indeed, in all good actions, thanks must be given to God, who has granted this teaching in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Vers. 18-22.)
(Verse 18-22.) Do not extinguish the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. This is said so that someone speaking by the Spirit may not be easily silenced (for their fervent speaking is silenced by contradictory words), lest those who do not understand say offensive things against the Holy Spirit and sin out of ignorance. And it is not right for someone revealing scripture-like teachings not to be listened to patiently, but all words should be examined and judged; lest they reject the grace given to a brother when they resist and oppose it. Therefore, everything that is said should be examined; and whatever is spoken in a sober and good manner should be retained. For whatever agrees with the words of the apostles and the Lord himself should be considered well spoken and retained; but those things that seem to be opposed to the faith should be avoided. For the spirit of the world often deceptively speaks good things as if by imitation, and intermixes evil among them, so that through those things which are good, evil may be carried along and accepted; because the words of one spirit are thought to be the same, they are not distinguished from each other: but through what is allowed, the illicit is praised by the authority of a name, not by the reason of virtue. For under the name of the apostles and the Lord himself they teach and preach unspeakable and adverse things; and therefore they admonish that all things should be examined, because the words of the Lord cannot be different. Hence also is from where the epistle of the apostle John:"Do not believe every spirit," he says, "but test the spirits whether they are from God" (1 John 4:1), because if someone may say many good things, but in something that is contrary to faith, it is known that he is not the Holy Spirit. For no error can be found in the Holy Spirit. However, through the exercise of speech, there are certain spiritual things and certain carnal things; because every error is attributed to the flesh, or certainly, a clever commentary invents good through a certain deception; to insert evil into these, as I mentioned above: just as in the case of Montanus, and Priscilla, and Maximilla, the prophets of the Phrygians, the spirit of the world simulated good by a certain imitation; so that through many plausible and even true things, it would lie that it is the Holy Spirit.
(Vers. 23.)
(Verse 23) But may the God of peace sanctify you completely, so that your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God of peace is Christ; for He says: My peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you (John 14:27). Indeed, since everything that the Father has belongs to the Son, the Apostle wishes to sanctify us through Him; so that He may illuminate us with the piety of His mercy, and direct all our actions towards perfection, so that the spirit given to us may be blameless. For then is a person whole, if we strive for a good life, having a pure soul and a blameless body, so that the whole person may be perfect. For the body can be pure, and the soul can be tainted by evil thoughts; therefore, it is said that the spirit in a person must be pure. But if a wicked life or thought intervenes, the spirit will not be whole; for it abandons a person who is subject to sin. For when the soul and body are in disagreement, even though the body is without sensation, they become alienated from it and, as if losing them, the spirit will not be whole; for it is given to a person that it may remain in him and be as if the head thereof. Therefore, he will not be whole; for when a man departs from him, he loses the parts that the Holy Spirit despises.
(Vers. 24, 25.)
(Verses 24, 25.) For God is faithful, who has called you, who will also do it. Brothers, pray for us. He speaks of God's faithfulness in His promises, so that they may confidently seek their reward. And because those who live rightly according to the Gospel can easily obtain what they ask for, he encourages them to pray for themselves; for many easily obtain what they desire.
(Vers. 26.)
(Verse 26.) Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. Holy kisses are in Christian greeting, the rest are carnal; for whatever is done without Christ is carnal, and therefore also mortal. For whoever despises the author of life is in death.
(Vers. 27.)
(Verse 27.) I adjure you in the name of the Lord, that this letter be read to all the brothers. It obliges them to be diligent in reading the letter to all the brothers, so that they may know both their praises and their admonitions; by which they may be made perfect.
(Vers. 28.)
(Verse 28) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Thus he desires them to progress in good works, so that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may remain in them forever.