1 Thessalonians 5 · Verse 8

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1 Thessalonians 5:8, King James Version

1 Thessalonians 5:8 in other translations

BSBBut since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.
WEBBut since we belong to the day, let’s be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
ASVBut let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
YLTand we, being of the day--let us be sober, putting on a breastplate of faith and love, and an helmet--a hope of salvation,
DARBYbut we being of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as helmet the hope of salvation;
BBEBut let us, who are of the day, be serious, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and on our heads, the hope of salvation.
WebsterBut let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast-plate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

What does 1 Thessalonians 5:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Faith, hope, and love, are the three pre-eminent graces (1Th 1:3; 1Co 13:13). We must not only be awake and sober, but also armed; not only watchful, but also guarded. The armor here is only defensive; in Ep 6:13-17, also offensive. Here, therefore, the reference is to the Christian means of being guarded against being surprised by the day of the Lord as a thief in the night. The helmet and breastplate defend the two vital parts, the head and the heart respectively. "With head and heart right, the whole man is right" [Edmunds]. The head needs to be kept from error, the heart from sin. For "the breastplate of righteousness," Ep 6:14, we have here "the breastplate of faith and love"; for the righteousness which is imputed to man for justification, is "faith working by love" (Ro 4:3, 22-24; Ga 5:6). "Faith," as the motive within, and "love," exhibited in outward acts, constitute the perfection of righteousness. In Ep 6:17 the helmet is "salvation"; here, "the hope of salvation." In one aspect "salvation" is a present possession (Joh 3:36; 5:24; 1Jo 5:13); in another, it is a matter of "hope" (Ro 8:24, 25). Our Head primarily wore the "breastplate of righteousness" and "helmet of salvation," that we might, by union with Him, receive both.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. But let us who are of the day, be sober. Temperate, as men usually are in the day-time.

Putting on the breast-plate of faith and love. This is a favourite comparison of the apostle Paul. See it explained at length Eph 6:14.

And for an helmet, the hope of salvation. Eph 6:17.

(c) "breast-plate of faith" Isa 59:17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Putting on the breastplate - We are not only called to Work, but we are called also to fight; and that we may not be surprised, we must watch; and that we may be in a condition to defend ourselves, we must be sober; and that we may be enabled to conquer, we must be armed: and what the breastplate and helmet are to a soldier's heart and head, such are faith, love, and hope to us. Faith enables us to endure, as seeing him who is invisible; love excites us to diligence and activity, and makes us bear our troubles and difficulties pleasantly; hope helps us to anticipate the great end, the glory that shall be revealed, and which we know we shall in due time obtain, if we faint not. For an explanation of the different parts of the Grecian armor, as illustrating that of the Christian, see the notes on Ephesians 6 (note), where the subject is largely explained.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:6-11

Most of mankind do not consider the things of another world at all, because they are asleep; or they do not consider them aright, because they sleep and dream. Our moderation as to all earthly things should be known to all men. Shall Christians, who have the light of the blessed gospel shining in their faces, be careless about their souls, and unmindful of another world? We need the spiritual armour, or the three…

Read the full comment on 1 Thessalonians 5:6-11 →

1 Thessalonians 5:8 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.

ἡμεῖςhēmeisWe ourselvesG3165
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἡμέραςhēmerasof [the] dayG2250
ὄντεςontesbeingG1510
νήφωμενnēphōmenmay be soberG3525
ἐνδυσάμενοιendusamenoihaving put onG1746
θώρακαthōraka[the] breastplateG2382
πίστεωςpisteōsof faithG4102
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀγάπηςagapēsloveG26
καὶkaiandG2532
περικεφαλαίανperikephalaian[the] helmetG4030
ἐλπίδαelpida[the] hopeG1680
σωτηρίας·sōtēriasof salvation;G4991

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

Cross references for 1 Thessalonians 5:8

  • Romans 13:12-13

    The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

  • 1 Peter 1:13

    Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

  • Ephesians 6:11

    Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

  • Isaiah 59:17

    For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

  • Hebrews 10:35-36

    Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

  • 1 Corinthians 13:13

    And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

  • Hebrews 6:19

    Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

  • Romans 5:2-5

    By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:5

    Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

  • Job 19:23-27

    Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: …

  • Ephesians 5:8-9

    For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

  • Ephesians 6:13-18

    Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
who.
5; Ro 13:13; Eph 5:8,9; 1Pe 2:9; 1Jo 1:7
the breastplate.
Isa 59:17; Ro 13:12; 2Co 6:7; Eph 6:11,13-18
the hope.
Job 19:23-27; Ps 42:5,11; 43:5; La 3:26; Ro 5:2-5; 8:24,25
1Co 13:13; Ga 5:5; 2Th 2:16; Heb 6:19; 10:35,36; 1Pe 1:3-5,13
1Jo 3:1-3

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

Context

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:7

    For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:8

    But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:9

    For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Read all of 1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians 5:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas nosotros, que somos del día, estemos sobrios, vestidos de cota de fe y de caridad, y la esperanza de salud por yelmo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		mais nous qui sommes du jour, soyons sobres, revêtant la cuirasse de la foi et de l’amour, et, pour casque, l’espérance du salut;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wir aber, die von dem Tage sind, laßt uns nüchtern sein, angetan mit dem Brustharnisch des Glaubens und der Liebe und als Helm mit der Hoffnung der Seligkeit.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nos autem, qui diei sumus, sobrii simus, induti loricam fidei et caritatis, et galeam spem salutis: