For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:7KJVWhat does 1 Thessalonians 5:7 mean?
1 Thessalonians 5:7 points out that people usually sleep or get drunk at night, using this as a picture to make a point about spiritual alertness and behavior. The verse draws a contrast between nighttime activities and the kind of wakefulness or self-control Paul wants for his readers.
Paul is writing to the Thessalonian Christians, encouraging them to live in a way that is different from those who are spiritually "asleep" or careless. In the wider context, Paul is talking about being ready for the "day of the Lord" and not being caught off guard. The verse uses ordinary nighttime habits—sleeping and drunkenness—as symbols for spiritual unawareness and lack of self-control.
The Greek behind 1 Thessalonians 5:7
- "Sleep" (καθεύδουσιν, katheudousin): This Greek word often means more than just physical sleep; it can also suggest being unaware or indifferent, especially in a spiritual sense. Paul uses it here to highlight a lack of alertness.
- "Drunken" (μεθύουσιν, methuousin; μεθύσκονται, methyskontai): Both forms refer to being drunk, but the second is a passive form, meaning "are made drunk." The repetition and variation stress the idea of losing self-control, which Paul contrasts with the alertness he wants for believers.
- "Night" (νύκτος, nyktos): Night in this verse is not just a time of day but also a symbol for darkness, secrecy, or moral carelessness. Paul uses it to represent the opposite of the "day," which stands for awareness and readiness.
Why 1 Thessalonians 5:7 matters
- This verse helps clarify that Paul is using everyday activities as metaphors, not just giving advice about literal sleep or drinking.
- The contrast between night and day in this passage sets up the call for believers to live with alertness and self-control, themes that run through the surrounding verses.
- Understanding the symbolic use of "night" and "sleep" here helps connect this verse to the larger theme of being prepared for Christ's return, a key concern in 1 Thessalonians 5.