1 Thessalonians 4:17

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἔπειτα ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι ἅμα σὺν αὐτοῖς ἁρπαγησόμεθα ἐν νεφέλαις, εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς ἀέρα: καὶ οὕτως πάντοτε σὺν Κυρίῳ ἐσόμεθα.

Transliteration

Then we the ones zōntes the ones perileipomenoi hama with them will be harpagēsometha in nephelais, for apantēsin of the Kyriou in aera: and thus pantote with Kyriō we will esometha.

Grammar Details

• *zōntes*: present, participle, active, nominative, masculine, plural - living
• *perileipomenoi*: present, participle, passive, nominative, masculine, plural - remaining/left behind
• *hama*: adverb - together/at the same time
• *harpagēsometha*: future, indicative, passive, 1st person, plural - we will be caught up/snatched away
• *nephelais*: dative, feminine, plural - clouds (locative)
• *apantēsin*: accusative, feminine, singular - meeting (purpose)
• *Kyriou*: genitive, masculine, singular - Lord's (possessive)
• *aera*: accusative, masculine, singular - air (location)
• *pantote*: adverb - always/at all times
• *Kyriō*: dative, masculine, singular - Lord (association)
• *esometha*: future, indicative, middle, 1st person, plural - we will be

Word Meanings

• *zōntes*: living/alive
• *perileipomenoi*: remaining/left behind/surviving
• *hama*: together/at the same time/simultaneously
• *harpagēsometha*: will be caught up/snatched away/seized
• *nephelais*: clouds/cloud masses
• *apantēsin*: meeting/encounter
• *aera*: air/atmosphere
• *pantote*: always/at all times/ever
• *esometha*: will be/shall be/will exist

Referenced Verses

• Rev 11:12 : 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
• 1 Cor 15:52 : 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
• John 14:3 : 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
• Rev 7:14-17 : 14 And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore {G5124} are they before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat: 17 for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.
• John 12:26 : 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor.
• 1 Thess 4:15 : 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.
• John 17:24 : 24 Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
• Acts 1:9 : 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
• Isa 60:19-20 : 19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but Jehovah will be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah will be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
• Dan 7:13 : 13 I saw in the night - visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
• Matt 26:64 : 64 Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.
• Ps 16:11 : 11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
• Ps 17:15 : 15 As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with [beholding] thy form.
• 2 Cor 5:8 : 8 we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.
• Phil 1:23 : 23 But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better:
• Rev 1:7 : 7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
• Rev 21:3-7 : 3 And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, [ and be] their God: 4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, {G2071} nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. 5 And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he saith, {G3427} Write: for these words are faithful and true. 6 And he said unto me, They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
• Rev 22:3-5 : 3 And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: {G1722} and his servants shall serve him; 4 and they shall see his face; and his name [shall be] on their foreheads. 5 And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
• 2 Cor 12:2-4 : 2 I know a man in Christ, {G4253} fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth), 4 how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
• Acts 8:39 : 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
• Mark 14:62 : 62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.
• Ps 49:15 : 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. {H5542}
• Ps 73:24 : 24 Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.
• Isa 35:10 : 10 and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
• 1 Kgs 18:12 : 12 And it will come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of Jehovah will carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he will slay me: but I thy servant fear Jehovah from my youth.
• 2 Kgs 2:16 : 16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there are with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master, lest the Spirit of Jehovah hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
• Rev 21:22-23 : 22 And I saw no temple therein: {G1722} for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof. 23 And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof [is] the Lamb.
• Rev 12:5 : 5 And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne.
• 2 Pet 3:13 : 13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein {G3739} dwelleth righteousness.