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1 Thessalonians 5:18

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.
  • BSB Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
  • NKJV in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
  • NASB in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
  • NLT Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

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

In every circumstance believers should give thanks, for this thankfulness is God's revealed will for them in Christ.

Overview

Thanksgiving is to mark the believer's life "in everything," not only in pleasant times, because God works all things for good (Romans 8:28). Paul explicitly names this as "the will of God in Christ Jesus," settling any doubt that gratitude is optional. Christ is both the ground of our thanks and the one through whom thanksgiving rises acceptably to God.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • Eph 5:20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
  • Phil 4:6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
  • Col 3:17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
  • Heb 13:15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
  • Job 1:21And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
  • 1 Pet 4:2That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
  • Ps 34:1I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
  • 1 Pet 2:15For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
  • 1 Jn 2:17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
  • 1 Th 4:3For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

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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 5:18 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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