1 Thessalonians 4:17

Authorized King James Version (1611)

Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them 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 ascended up to heaven in a 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 will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am,› [there] ‹ye may be also.›
• Rev 7:14-17 : 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears 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› [my] ‹Father honour.›
• 1 Thess 4:15 : 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
• John 17:24 : 24 ¶ ‹Father, I will 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 spoken these things, while they beheld, 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 the LORD shall 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 the LORD shall 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, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
• Matt 26:64 : 64 Jesus saith unto him, ‹Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.›
• Ps 16:11 : 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.
• Ps 17:15 : 15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
• 2 Cor 5:8 : 8 We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
• Phil 1:23 : 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
• Rev 1:7 : 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
• Rev 21:3-7 : 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, ‹Behold, I make all things new.› And he said unto me, ‹Write: for these words are true and faithful.› 6 And he said unto me, ‹It is done. I am Alpha and 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 all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.›
• Rev 22:3-5 : 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name [shall be] in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
• 2 Cor 12:2-4 : 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: 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 were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
• Mark 14:62 : 62 And Jesus said, ‹I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.›
• Ps 49:15 : 15 ¶ But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
• Ps 73:24 : 24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me [to] glory.
• Isa 35:10 : 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
• 1 Kgs 18:12 : 12 And it shall come to pass, [as soon as] I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and [so] when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.
• 2 Kgs 2:16 : 16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD 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: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb [is] the light thereof.
• Rev 12:5 : 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.
• 2 Pet 3:13 : 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.