1 Thessalonians 5:21
in 1 Thessalonians 5but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
prove all things; hold fast that which is good;
KJV
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
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This verse in 1 Thessalonians 5
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Prove all things - Subject everything submitted to you to be believed to the proper test. The word here used (δοκιμάζετε dokimazete), is one that is properly applicable to metals, referring to the art of the assayer, by which the true nature and value of the metal is tested; see notes, 1Co 3:13. This trial was usually made by fire. The meaning here is, that they were carefully to examine everything proposed for their belief. They were not to receive it on trust; to take it on assertion; to believe it because it was urged with vehemence, zeal, or plausibility.
This site's exposition
prove all things
on 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
Prove all things supplies the safeguard the previous two commands need, testing rather than either blind acceptance or blanket rejection of what claims to be the Spirit's prophetic word. Hold fast that which is good states the positive half of the test's outcome, genuine prophecy kept rather than discarded along with what fails to hold. Abstain from all appearance of evil closes the section with a wider caution, applying beyond prophecy to conduct generally, every form evil might take avoided rather than merely evil itself once it is plainly named.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"Be at peace among yourselves. Now we admonish you, brethren, warn them who are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil to any man. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things: hold fast that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil."
"For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe," and not yet acquainted with the word, according to which he has believed and works, and not able to give a reason in himself. "Prove all things," the apostle says, "and hold fast that which is good," speaking to spiritual men, who judge what is said according to truth, whether it seems or truly holds by the truth.
A commentator
Dionysius of AlexandriaContaining Epistles, or Fragments of Epistles · Written before 264.
proposed
I indeed gave attention to reading the books and carefully studying the traditions of heretics, to the extent indeed of corrupting my soul with their execrable opinions; yet receiving from them this advantage, that I could refute them in my own mind, and detested them …
But there is also another explanation. There were among them many indeed who prophesied truly, but some prophesied falsely. For the devil, of his vile craft, wished through this gift of grace to subvert everything pertaining to the Church. For since both the demon and the Spirit prophesied concerning the future, the one indeed uttering falsehood, and the other truth, and it was not possible from any quarter to receive a proof of one or the other, He gave also the "discernings of spirits." Since therefore then also among the Thessalonians many were prophesying, glancing at whom he says, "Neither by word, nor by epistle, as from us, as that the day of the Lord is now present" (2 Thess. ii. 2), he says this here. Seest thou that this is what he means by, "Prove all things"? Because he had said, "Despise not prophesyings," lest they should think that he opened the pulpit to all, he says, "Prove all things," that is, such as are really prophecies; "and hold fast that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil"; not from this or that, but from all; that you may by proof distinguish both the true things and the false, and abstain from the latter, and hold fast the former. For thus both the hatred of the one will be vehement and the love of the other arises, when we do all things not carelessly, nor without examination, but with careful investigation.
Herein consists the defence of our opinion, in accordance with Scripture, in accordance with Nature, in accordance with Discipline. Scripture founds the law; Nature joins to attest it; Discipline exacts it. Which of these (three) does a custom founded on (mere) opinion appear in behalf of? or what is the colour of the opposite view? God's is Scripture; God's is Nature; God's is Discipline. Whatever is contrary to these is not God's. If Scripture is uncertain, Nature is manifest; and concerning Nature's testimony Scripture cannot be uncertain.
7 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
And therefore "heresies must needs be in order that they which are approved might be made manifest," both those who remained stedfast under persecution, and those who did not wander out of their way into heresy. For the apostle does not mean that those persons should be deemed approved who exchange their creed for heresy; although they contrariously interpret his words to their own side, when he says in another passage, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good; " as if, after proving all things amiss, one might not through error make a determined choice of some evil thing.
The Medieval Church2 voices
So then, what? Surely we should accept false prophets too? No, he says. But test all things, that is, examine both the false and the true with discernment, and then accept the prophecies that prove to be good, that is, regard them as true and …
Then he says, but test everything, he shows how they ought to behave towards everything; and one piece of advice is that they should make use of discretion in all matters. "Your spiritual worship" (Rom. 12:1). In this matter there should be a careful examination, …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Meantime, prove all things - Which any preacher recommends. (He speaks of practice, not of doctrines.) Try every advice by the touchstone of scripture, and hold fast that which is good - Zealously, resolutely, diligently practice it, in spite of all opposition.
Note, The doctrines of human infallibility, implicit faith, and blind obedience, are not the doctrines of the Bible. Every Christian has and ought to have, the judgment of discretion, and should have his senses exercised in discerning between good and evil, truth and falsehood, Heb. v. 13, 14 . And proving all things must be in order to holding fast that which is good.
Prove all things,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Prove all things - Whatever ye hear in these prophesyings or preachings, examine by the words of Christ, and by the doctrines which, from time to time, we have delivered unto you in our preaching and writings. Try the spirits - the different teachers, by the word of God. Hold fast that which is good - Whatever in these prophesyings has a tendency to increase your faith, love, holiness, and usefulness, that receive and hold fast. There were prophets or teachers even at that time who professed to be of God, and yet were not.
The words behind it
6 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| πάντα | panta | All things | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| δοκιμάζετε· | dokimazete | do test; | G1381 → | 22 times |
| τὸ | to | To the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καλὸν | kalon | good | G2570 → | |
| κατέχετε· | katechete | do hold fast; | G2722 → |
πάνταAll things
pantaG3956 →1235 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
δοκιμάζετε·do test;
dokimazeteG1381 →22 times
τὸTo the
toG3588 →19766 times
καλὸνgood
kalonG2570 →
κατέχετε·do hold fast;
katecheteG2722 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 12:2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:14
As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
- Ephesians 4:22–24
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
- Colossians 3:10
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
- 1 John 2:15–17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
- 1 Peter 1:14
Through
1 John 4:1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- 2 Peter 2:1
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Thessalonians
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 3; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 1; Dionysius of Alexandria, Containing Epistles, or Fragments of Epistles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Thessalonians 11; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins; Tertullian, The Prescription Against Heretics; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians.