1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Context
This closes Paul's threefold instruction (rejoice, pray, give thanks) and labels grateful living as God's revealed will for those in Christ.
What Does 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Mean?
Paul caps his trio of commands with thanksgiving, and gives a striking reason: "this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Believers often wonder what God wants of them; here is a clear answer. He directs us to give thanks "in every thing" -- not for every painful thing as if pain itself were good, but in the midst of every circumstance, finding reason for gratitude even when life is hard.
Thanksgiving completes the rhythm begun with rejoicing and prayer. Joy fills the heart, prayer connects it to God, and gratitude keeps it from sliding into complaint or despair. The grounding phrase "in Christ Jesus" matters: this kind of thankfulness flows from a relationship with him and from confidence in the hope he secures. Gratitude becomes possible in dark seasons because the believer trusts that God is at work even when circumstances are not what we would choose. Paul presents thanks not as a mood that depends on good fortune but as a settled response God desires from his people in all things, anchored in their union with Christ.
In the Original Language
"Give thanks" is eucharisteo, to express gratitude; "will" is thelema, what God desires or wills, here applied directly to the believer's life.
Cross References
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
- Ephesians 5:20
“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
- Colossians 3:17
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
- Philippians 4:6
Application
Practice gratitude in the middle of every circumstance, trusting that a thankful heart is exactly what God desires for you.