1 Thessalonians 5:6

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἄρα οὖν μὴ καθεύδωμεν, ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί· ἀλλὰ γρηγορῶμεν καὶ νήφωμεν.

Transliteration

Ara oun mē katheudōmen, hōs kai hoi loipoi; alla grēgorōmen kai nēphōmen.

Grammar Details

• *Ara oun*: inferential conjunction - therefore then/so then
• *mē*: negative particle - not
• *katheudōmen*: present, active, subjunctive, 1st person plural - let us sleep/we should sleep
• *hōs*: comparative particle - as/like
• *kai*: conjunction - and
• *hoi loipoi*: nominative, masculine, plural with article - the rest/the others
• *alla*: adversative conjunction - but
• *grēgorōmen*: present, active, subjunctive, 1st person plural - let us be alert/let us stay awake
• *nēphōmen*: present, active, subjunctive, 1st person plural - let us be sober/let us be self-controlled

Word Meanings

• *katheudōmen*: let us sleep/we should sleep (metaphorical for spiritual unawareness)
• *loipoi*: rest/others/remainder
• *grēgorōmen*: let us be alert/let us stay awake/let us be vigilant
• *nēphōmen*: let us be sober/let us be self-controlled/let us be clearheaded

Referenced Verses

• 1 Pet 1:13 : 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
• Luke 22:46 : 46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
• Rom 13:11-14 : 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
• Matt 24:42 : 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
• 1 Pet 5:8 : 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
• Rev 16:15 : 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
• Rev 3:2 : 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
• Acts 20:31 : 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
• 1 Pet 4:7 : 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
• Prov 19:15 : 15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
• Isa 56:10 : 10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
• Jonah 1:6 : 6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
• Matt 13:25 : 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
• Matt 25:5 : 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
• Matt 25:13 : 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
• Matt 26:38 : 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
• Matt 26:40-41 : 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
• Mark 13:34-35 : 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
• Mark 13:37 : 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
• Mark 14:37-38 : 37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
• Luke 12:37 : 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
• Luke 12:39 : 39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
• Luke 21:36 : 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
• 1 Cor 15:34 : 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
• 1 Cor 16:13 : 13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
• Eph 5:14 : 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
• Eph 6:18 : 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
• Phil 4:5 : 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
• Col 4:2 : 2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
• 1 Thess 5:8 : 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
• 1 Tim 2:9 : 9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
• 1 Tim 2:15 : 15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
• 1 Tim 3:2 : 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
• 1 Tim 3:11 : 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
• 2 Tim 4:5 : 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
• Titus 2:6 : 6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
• Titus 2:12 : 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;