But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you.
Parallel translations
- KJV But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
- BSB Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you.
- NKJV But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
- NASB Now as to the periods and times, brothers and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you.
- NLT Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They need no instruction about the exact times of the Lord's coming. The when is not the focus.
Overview
Shifting from the fact of Christ's return to its timing, Paul says they already know enough about "the times and the seasons." Rather than speculating about dates, his concern is readiness. This sets up his teaching that the day will come unexpectedly, so watchfulness, not calculation, is required.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Acts 1:7He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.
- 1 Th 4:9But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
- Matt 24:36But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
- Matt 24:3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”
- Mark 13:30–32Most certainly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen.
- 2 Cor 9:1It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints,
- Jude 1:3Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The believer waits for God's Son from heaven, Jesus who delivers from the wrath to come and who will return to gather his people to himself.
How 1 Thessalonians 5:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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