Paragraph 5:14–18

In these verses Paul gave further commands about how believers should behave.

5:14a

brothers: See the note on 1:4.

admonish: The word admonish is the same word that was translated as “give…instruction” in 5:12c. Here it clearly means “admonish, warn” rather than “advise.”

the unruly: The commentators do not agree about whom this refers to. The word ataktos, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as unruly, usually means “disorderly.” So commentators suggest two possible meanings here:

(1) It refers to a specific form of disorderliness, that of being idle. Paul was therefore referring to a group of Thessalonian believers who had stopped working (see 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12) because they thought that Christ would return very soon.

(New International Version (2011 Revision), Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), The Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible)

(2) The word should be understood literally to refer to those who were unruly or disorderly, that is, they refused to obey or respect their leaders.

(Berean Standard Bible, King James Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, God’s Word)

The commentators are evenly divided between these two views. However, it is clear from 2 Thessalonians 3:6–12 that the first option was a real problem among the believers at Thessalonica. Therefore it is recommended that you follow the first option (1).

5:14b

encourage the fainthearted: Paul did not say what had caused some believers at Thessalonica to become fainthearted or “timid.” The commentators suggest that some were fearful because people were persecuting them or because they were worried about fellow believers who had died before Christ had returned. There may also have been some who doubted that Christ had really saved them or felt that they had no spiritual gifts. However, you should not try to include these possibilities in your translation.

5:14c

help the weak: Commentators agree that Paul was not referring to those whose bodies were literally weak because they were sick or old, though he may have been including them. Rather, he was referring either to those who were weak spiritually or to those who were weak morally. There is nothing in the context that can clarify which group he meant. All English versions translate this phrase literally and it is recommended that you either follow them or include a phrase such as “in any way” to make it clear Paul that was not just talking about physical weakness.

5:14d

be patient with everyone: Scholars do not agree about whom Paul was referring to here. There are three possibilities:

(1) All believers.

(2) All people, believers and non-believers alike.

(3) The idle, the timid, and the weak of 5:14a–c.

Most English versions do not make it clear which of these possibilities they support. If you decide that you wish to follow one interpretation explicitly, it is recommended that you follow the first option (1).

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.