1 Thessalonians 4:15 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →On the Lord's own authority, Paul says the living will not precede those who have died when the Lord comes.
What Does 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Mean?
Paul gives this teaching 'by the word of the Lord,' marking it as carrying the Lord's own authority and not merely his own reasoning. He addresses a worry the grieving church may have felt, that those who had died would somehow miss out when the Lord came. Not so: the living 'shall not prevent,' that is, shall not precede or get ahead of, 'them which are asleep.'
Behind this lies a tender pastoral concern. Perhaps the Thessalonians feared their departed loved ones would be at a disadvantage when Christ returned, left behind while the living went to meet Him. Paul gently corrects the fear. The dead in Christ are not forgotten or delayed; if anything, they come first, as the next verse will show. Nothing about death separates a believer from the hope of the Lord's coming. Paul speaks with the Lord's authority precisely because he wants their comfort to be certain. Those who sleep in Jesus lose nothing of the glory ahead; they share fully in it.
1 Thessalonians 4:15 in the Original Language
parousia (παρουσία), 'coming' -- arrival and presence, the term for the awaited coming of the Lord.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Thessalonians 4:15
What does 1 Thessalonians 4:15 mean?
On the Lord's own authority, Paul says the living will not precede those who have died when the Lord comes.