1 Thessalonians 4 · Verse 14

1 Thessalonians 4:14

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1 Thessalonians 4:14, King James Version

1 Thessalonians 4:14 in other translations

BSBFor since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
WEBFor if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
ASVFor if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
YLTfor if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also God those asleep through Jesus he will bring with him,
DARBYFor if we believe that Jesus has died and has risen again, so also God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.
BBEFor if we have faith that Jesus underwent death and came back again, even so those who are sleeping will come again with him by God's power.
WebsterFor if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

What does 1 Thessalonians 4:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. For if--confirmation of his statement, 1Th 4:13, that the removal of ignorance as to the sleeping believers would remove undue grief respecting them. See 1Th 4:13, "hope." Hence it appears our hope rests on our faith ("if we believe"). "As surely as we all believe that Christ died and rose again (the very doctrine specified as taught at Thessalonica, Ac 17:3), so also will God bring those laid to sleep by Jesus with Him (Jesus)." (So the order and balance of the members of the Greek sentence require us to translate). Believers are laid in sleep by Jesus, and so will be brought back from sleep with Jesus in His train when He comes. The disembodied souls are not here spoken of; the reference is to the sleeping bodies. The facts of Christ's experience are repeated in the believer's. He died and then rose: so believers shall die and then rise with Him. But in His case death is the term used, 1Co 15:3, 6, &c.; in theirs, sleep; because His death has taken for them the sting from death. The same Hand that shall raise them is that which laid them to sleep. "Laid to sleep by Jesus," answers to "dead in Christ" (1Th 4:16).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again. That is, if we believe this, we ought also to believe that those who have died in the faith of Jesus will be raised from the dead. The meaning is not that the fact of the resurrection depends on our believing that Jesus rose, but that the death and resurrection of the Saviour were connected with the resurrection of the saints: that the one followed from the other, and that the one was as certain as the other. The doctrine of the resurrection of the saints so certainly follows from that of the resurrection of Christ, that, if the one is believed, the other ought to be also. 1Cor 15:12-14.

Which sleep in Jesus. A most beautiful expression. It is not merely that they have calm repose--like a gentle slumber--in the hope of awaking again, but that this is "in Jesus"--or "through" (δια) him; that is, his death and resurrection are the cause of their quiet and calm repose. They do not "sleep" in heathenism, or in infidelity, or in the gloom of atheism--but in the blessed hope which Jesus has imparted. They lie, as he did, in the tomb--free from pain and sorrow, and with the certainty of being raised up again.

They sleep in Jesus and are bless'd, How kind their slumbers are; From sufferings and from sin released, And freed from every snare.

When, therefore; we think of the death of saints, let us think of what Jesus was in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Such is the sleep of our pious friends now in the grave; such will be our own when we die.

Will God bring with him. This does not mean that God will bring them with him from heaven when the Saviour comes--though it will be true that their spirits will descend with the Saviour; but it means that he will bring them from their graves, and will conduct them with him to glory, to be with him. Comp. Jn 14:3. The declaration, as it seems to me, is designed to teach the general truth, that the redeemed are so united with Christ, that they shall share the same destiny as he does. As the head was raised, so will all the members be. As God brought Christ from the grave, so will he bring them; that is, his resurrection made it certain that they would rise. It is a great and universal truth that God will bring all from their graves who "sleep in Jesus;" or that they shall all rise. The apostle does not, therefore, refer so much to the time when this would occur--meaning that it would happen when the Lord Jesus should return--as to the fact that there was an established connection between him and his people, which made it certain that if they died united with him by faith, they would be as certainly brought from the grave as he was. If, however, it means, as Prof. Bush (Anastasis, pp. 266, 267) supposes, that they will be brought with him from heaven, or will accompany him down, it does not prove that there must have been a previous resurrection, for the full force of the language would be met by the supposition that their spirits had ascended to heaven. and would be brought with him to be united to their bodies when raised. If this be the correct interpretation, then there is probably an allusion to such passages as the following, representing the coming of the Lord accompanied by his saints. "The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee," Zech 14:6. "And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh, with ten thousand of his saints," Jude 1:14. "Who," says Pres. Dwight, (Serra. 164,) "are those whom God will bring with him at this time? Certainly not the bodies of his saints .... The only answer is, he will bring with him "the spirits of just men made perfect."

(a) "even so" 1Cor 15:20

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again - Ει γαρ· Seeing that we believe; knowing that the resurrection of Christ is as fully authenticated as his death. Even so them - It necessarily follows that them who sleep - die, in him - in the faith of the Gospel, will God bring with him - he will raise them up as Jesus was raised from the dead, in the same manner, i.e. by his own eternal power and energy; and he will bring them with him - with Christ, for he is the head of the Church, which is his body.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Here is comfort for the relations and friends of those who die in the Lord. Grief for the death of friends is lawful; we may weep for our own loss, though it may be their gain. Christianity does not forbid, and grace does not do away, our natural affections. Yet we must not be excessive in our sorrows; this is too much like those who have no hope of a better life. Death is an unknown thing, and we know little about…

Read the full comment on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 →

1 Thessalonians 4:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἰeiIfG1487
γὰρgarforG1063
πιστεύομενpisteuomenwe believeG4100
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ἀπέθανενapethanendiedG599
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀνέστη,anestērose again,G450
οὕτωςhoutōssoG3779
καὶkaialsoG2532
ὁho<the>G3588
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
τοὺςtousthoseG3588
κοιμηθένταςkoimēthentashaving fallen asleepG2837
διὰdiathroughG1223
τοῦtou<the>G3588
ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424
ἄξειaxeiwill bringG71
σὺνsunwithG4862
αὐτῷ.¶autōHim.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Thessalonians 4:14

  • Romans 8:11

    But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

  • Philippians 3:20-21

    For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

  • Isaiah 26:19

    Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

  • 2 Corinthians 4:13-14

    We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13

    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.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:17

    Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

  • 1 Thessalonians 3:13

    To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

  • Revelation 14:13

    And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

  • Revelation 1:18

    I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

  • Jude 1:14-15

    And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:12-23

    Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. …

  • Matthew 24:31

    And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
if we.
Isa 26:19; Ro 8:11; 1Co 15:12-23; 2Co 4:13,14; Re 1:18
sleep.
13; 3:13; 1Co 15:18; Re 14:13
God.
17; Ge 49:19; Zec 14:15; Mt 24:31; 1Co 15:23; Php 3:20,21; 2Th 2:1
Jude 1:14,15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13

    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.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:14

    For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:15

    For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

Read all of 1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque si creemos que Jesús murió y resucitó, así también traerá Dios con él á los que durmieron en Jesús.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car si nous croyons que Jésus mourut et qu’il est ressuscité, de même aussi, avec lui, Dieu amènera ceux qui se sont endormis par Jésus.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn wenn wir glauben, daß Jesus gestorben und auferstanden ist, also wird auch Gott die durch Jesum Entschlafenen mit ihm bringen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si enim credimus quod Jesus mortuus est, et resurrexit: ita et Deus eos qui dormierunt per Jesum, adducet cum eo.