帖撒罗尼迦前书 5:4

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

但是弟兄們，你們不在黑暗裡，以致那日子會臨到你們像賊來到一樣。

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
弟 兄 们 ， 你 们 却 不 在 黑 暗 里 ， 叫 那 日 子 临 到 你 们 像 贼 一 样 。

Contextual Overview

¹ Now, brothers and sisters, we do not need to write you about times and dates. ² You know very well that the day the Lord comes again will be a surprise, like a thief that comes in the night. ³ While people are saying, "We have peace and we are safe," they will be destroyed quickly. It is like pains that come quickly to a woman having a baby. Those people will not escape. ⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not living in darkness, and so that day will not surprise you like a thief. ⁵ You are all people who belong to the light and to the day. We do not belong to the night or to darkness.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

are: Romans 13:11-13, Colossians 1:13, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Peter 2:10, 1 John 2:8

overtake: Deuteronomy 19:6, Deuteronomy 28:15, Deuteronomy 28:45, Jeremiah 42:16, Hosea 10:9, Zechariah 1:6

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 3:24 - smote the Matthew 7:22 - to me Luke 1:79 - give Luke 12:38 - General John 1:9 - every Acts 26:18 - and to 2 Corinthians 6:14 - and what Ephesians 5:8 - but 2 Timothy 1:12 - against 2 Timothy 4:8 - at that Revelation 3:3 - I will

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said, "Have many children and grow in number. Fill the earth and be its master. Rule over the fish in the sea and over the birds in the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 5:1
This is the family history of Adam. When God created human beings, he made them in his own likeness.

Genesis 5:3
When Adam was 130 years old, he became the father of another son in his likeness and image, and Adam named him Seth.

Genesis 5:7
After Enosh was born, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:10
After Kenan was born, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:13
After Mahalalel was born, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:19
After Enoch was born, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:22
After Methuselah was born, Enoch walked with God 300 years more and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:26
After Lamech was born, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:30
After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness,.... In a state of unregeneracy, which is a state of darkness, blindness, and ignorance, and which is the condition of all men by nature; they are born in darkness, and are brought up in it, and willingly, walk in it; they are covered with it, as the earth was covered with darkness in its first creation; and dwell in it, as the Egyptians did for some days, in thick darkness, darkness which might be felt; their understandings are darkened with respect to the true knowledge of God, the nature of sin, the way of salvation by Christ, the work of the spirit of God upon the soul, and the necessity of it, the Scriptures of truth, and the mysteries of the Gospel; and which is the case of God's elect themselves, while unregenerate: but now these persons were called out of darkness, turned from it, and delivered from the power of it; and therefore knew that the day of the Lord comes as above described, by the metaphors of a thief in the night, and a woman with child, and needed not to be informed about that matter: or

that that day should overtake you as a thief; or seize and lay hold upon you as a thief who comes in the dark, and lays hold upon a person suddenly; but these saints were not in the dark, but in the light, and so could see when the day of the Lord came; and would not be surprised with it, as a man is seized with terror and fright, when laid hold on by a thief; since they would be, or at least should be on their watch, and be looking out for, and hasting to the coming of the day of God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief - The allusion here is to the manner in which a thief or robber accomplishes his purpose. He comes in the night, when people are asleep. So, says the apostle, the Lord will come to the wicked. They are like those who are asleep when the thief comes upon them. But it is not so with Christians. They are, in relation to the coming of the day of the Lord, as people are who are awake when the robber comes. They could see his approach, and could prepare for it, so that it would not take them by surprise.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Thessalonians 5:4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness — Probably St. Paul refers to a notion that was very prevalent among the Jews, viz.: that God would judge the Gentiles in the night time, when utterly secure and careless; but he would judge the Jews in the day time, when employed in reading and performing the words of the law. The words in Midrash Tehillim, on Psalms 9:8, are the following: When the holy blessed God shall judge the Gentiles, it shall be in the night season, in which they shall be asleep in their transgressions; but when he shall judge the Israelites, it shall be in the day time, when they are occupied in the study of the law. This maxim the apostle appears to have in view in the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th verses. (1 Thessalonians 5:4-8)