1 Thessalonians 5:27

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

1 Thessalonians 5:27, King James Version

1 Thessalonians 5:27 in other translations

BSB	I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
WEB	I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.
ASV	I adjure you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the brethren.
YLT	I charge you by the Lord, that the letter be read to all the holy brethren;
DARBY	I adjure you by the Lord that the letter be read to all the holy brethren.
BBE	I give orders in the name of the Lord that all the brothers are to be present at the reading of this letter.
Webster	I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.

What does 1 Thessalonians 5:27 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

27. I charge--Greek, "I adjure you." read unto all--namely, publicly in the congregation at a particular time. The Greek aorist tense implies a single act done at a particular time. The earnestness of his adjuration implies how solemnly important he felt this divinely inspired message to be. Also, as this was the FIRST of the Epistles of the New Testament, he makes this the occasion of a solemn charge, that so its being publicly read should be a sample of what should be done in the case of the others, just as the Pentateuch and the Prophets were publicly read under the Old Testament, and are still read in the synagogue. Compare the same injunction as to the public reading of the Apocalypse, the LAST of the New Testament canon (Re 1:3). The "all" includes women and children, and especially those who could not read it themselves (De 31:12; Jos 8:33-35). What Paul commands with an adjuration, Rome forbids under a curse [Bengel]. Though these Epistles had difficulties, the laity were all to hear them read (1Pe 4:11; 2Pe 3:10; even the very young, 2Ti 1:5; 3:15). "Holy" is omitted before "brethren" in most of the oldest manuscripts, though some of them support it.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 27. I charge you by the Lord. Marg., adjure. Gr., "I put you under oath by the Lord" ορκιζωυμαςτονκυριον. It is equivalent to binding persons by an oath. Mt 26:63. Comp. Gen 21:23,24; Gen 24:3,37, 1:25.

That this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. To all the church. Comp. Col 4:16. The meaning is, that the epistle was to be read to the whole church on some occasion on which it was assembled together. It was not merely designed for the individual or individual into whose hands it might happen to fall; but as it contained of common interest, and was designed for the whole body of believers at Thessalonica, the apostle gives a solemn charge that it should not be suppressed or kept from them. Injunctions of this kind, occurring in the epistles, look as if the apostles regarded themselves as under the influence of inspiration, and as having authority to give infallible instructions to the churches.

(1) "charge" "adjure"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 27 I charge you by the Lord, that this epistle be read - There must have been some particular reason for this solemn charge; he certainly had some cause to suspect that the epistle would be suppressed in some way or other, and that the whole Church would not be permitted to hear it; or he may refer to the smaller Churches contiguous to Thessalonica, or the Churches in Macedonia in general, whom he wished to hear it, as well as those to whom it was more immediately directed. There is no doubt that the apostles designed that their epistles should be copied, and sent to all the Churches in the vicinity of that to which they were directed. Had this not been the case, a great number of Churches would have known scarcely any thing of the New Testament. As every Jewish synagogue had a copy of the law and the prophets, so every Christian Church had a copy of the gospels and the epistles, which were daily, or at least every Sabbath, read for the instruction of the people. This the apostle deemed so necessary, that he adjured them by the Lord to read this epistle to all the brethren; i.e. to all the Christians in that district. Other Churches might get copies of it; and thus, no doubt, it soon became general. In this way other parts of the sacred writings were disseminated through all the Churches of the Gentiles; and the errors of the different scribes, employed to take copies, constituted what are now called the various readings.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28

The apostle prays that they might be sanctified more perfectly, for the best are sanctified but in part while in this world; therefore we should pray for, and press toward, complete holiness. And as we must fall, if God did not carry on his good work in the soul, we should pray to God to perfect his work, till we are presented faultless before the throne of his glory. We should pray for one another; and brethren…

Read the full comment on 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 →

1 Thessalonians 5:27 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.

ἐνορκίζωenorkizōI adjure

ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771

τὸνton[by] theG3588

κύριονkurionLordG2962

ἀναγνωσθῆναιanagnōsthēnaito be readG314

τὴνtēn[this]G3588

ἐπιστολὴνepistolēnletterG1992

πᾶσινpasinto allG3956

τοῖςtoistheG3588

ἁγίοιςhagioissaintsG40

ἀδελφοῖς.¶adelphoisbrothers.G80

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

Cross references for 1 Thessalonians 5:27

Colossians 4:16
And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
2 Timothy 4:1
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
1 Timothy 5:21
I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
Matthew 26:63
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
1 Kings 22:16
And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord?
Acts 19:13
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Numbers 27:23
And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
Mark 5:7
And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
2 Chronicles 18:15
And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord?
1 Timothy 1:3
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
1 Timothy 5:7
And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
1 Timothy 6:13
I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I charge. or, I adjure.
2:11; Nu 27:23; 1Ki 22:16; 2Ch 18:15; Mt 26:63; Mr 5:7; Ac 19:13
1Ti 1:3,18; 5:7,21; 6:13,17; 2Ti 4:1
that.
Col 4:16; 2Th 3:14
holy.
Heb 3:1

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

Context

1 Thessalonians 5:26
Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
1 Thessalonians 5:27
I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
1 Thessalonians 5:28
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. The first epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens.

Read all of 1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians 5:27 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Conjúroos por el Señor, que esta carta sea leída á todos los santos hermanos.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Je vous adjure par le Seigneur que la lettre soit lue à tous les saints frères.
German Elberfelder 1871	Ich beschwöre euch bei dem Herrn, daß der Brief allen heiligen Brüdern vorgelesen werde.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Adjuro vos per Dominum ut legatur epistola hæc omnibus sanctis fratribus.