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1 Thessalonians 5:17

pray without ceasing,
1 Thessalonians 5:17 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Pray without ceasing.
  • KJV Pray without ceasing.
  • BSB Pray without ceasing.
  • NASB pray without ceasing,
  • NLT Never stop praying.

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

Believers are to pray without ceasing, maintaining a continual, prayerful dependence on God.

Overview

"Without ceasing" describes a persistent, recurring attitude of prayer rather than literally unbroken speech. It calls for a life so oriented toward God that prayer becomes the constant breath of the soul in every situation. Through Christ, believers have continual access to the Father, making such unceasing communion possible (Hebrews 4:16).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 6

  • Rom 12:12rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer;
  • Col 4:2Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;
  • Eph 6:18with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
  • Luke 18:1He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
  • Luke 21:36Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
  • 1 Pet 4:7But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

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 5:17 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.