1 Thessalonians 5:21
New International Version
but test them all; hold on to what is good,

New Living Translation
but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.

English Standard Version
but test everything; hold fast what is good.

Berean Standard Bible
but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.

Berean Literal Bible
but test all things. Hold fast to the good.

King James Bible
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

New King James Version
Test all things; hold fast what is good.

New American Standard Bible
but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good,

NASB 1995
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

NASB 1977
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

Legacy Standard Bible
but examine all things; hold fast to that which is good;

Amplified Bible
But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good.

Christian Standard Bible
but test all things. Hold on to what is good.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but test all things. Hold on to what is good.

American Standard Version
prove all things; hold fast that which is good;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Explore everything and hold what is excellent.

Contemporary English Version
Put everything to the test. Accept what is good

Douay-Rheims Bible
But prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

English Revised Version
prove all things; hold fast that which is good;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good.

Good News Translation
Put all things to the test: keep what is good

International Standard Version
Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good.

Literal Standard Version
prove all things; hold fast [to] that which is good;

Majority Standard Bible
but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.

New American Bible
Test everything; retain what is good.

NET Bible
But examine all things; hold fast to what is good.

New Revised Standard Version
but test everything; hold fast to what is good;

New Heart English Bible
but test all things; hold firmly that which is good.

Webster's Bible Translation
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Weymouth New Testament
but test all such, and retain hold of the good.

World English Bible
Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good.

Young's Literal Translation
all things prove; that which is good hold fast;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Christian Living
20Do not treat prophecies with contempt, 21but test all things. Hold fast to what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.…

Cross References
Romans 12:9
Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

1 Corinthians 14:29
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.

1 Thessalonians 5:15
Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.

1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain from every form of evil.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.


Treasury of Scripture

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Prove.

Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves…

Mark 7:14-16
And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: …

hold.

Deuteronomy 11:6-9
And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel: …

Deuteronomy 32:46,47
And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law…

Proverbs 3:1,21-24
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: …

Jump to Previous
Carefully Examine Fast Firmly Good Hold Prove Retain Right Test Tested
Jump to Next
Carefully Examine Fast Firmly Good Hold Prove Retain Right Test Tested
1 Thessalonians 5
1. He proceeds in the description of Christ's coming to judgment;
16. and gives various instructions;
23. and so concludes the epistle.














(21) Prove all things.--The right reading inserts a "but":--"I bid you pay all reverence to the cheering utterances of your prophets (comp. Acts 15:32); but take care! put everything to the test." That the warning was needed, or would be needed soon, is shown by 2Thessalonians 2:2. It is couched in general terms (all things), but, of course, has special reference to all things purporting to be manifestations of the Spirit. And how were these revelations to be tested? If they were not in accordance (1) with the original tradition (2Thessalonians 2:2), (2) with the supernatural inspirations of the other prophets who sat as judges (1Corinthians 14:29), (3) with enlightened common sense (1John 4:1), they could not be "good." The word "good" here is not vague and general good in the moral sense--not the same Greek word as in 1Thessalonians 5:15--but "good" in the sense of "genuine," "answering to the proper conception of what it purports to be." The same word is used in the same sense in John 10:11. . . . Verse 21. - Prove all things. This exhortation is closely connected with the preceding. "Prove all things," namely, whatever was advanced by the prophets in their inspired discourses (comp. 1 John 4:1, "Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God"). "Prove" here means to test, as metals are tested in the fire; and hence the word frequently denotes the favorable result of the testing, or approval. There was a special gift of discerning spirits in the primitive Church (1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 14:29). But although the words primarily refer to the testing of prophetic utterances, yet they have a general application. We should not rest our faith on the authority of others. The right of private judgment is the characteristic and privilege of Protestantism. We ought thoroughly to examine all doctrines by the test of Scripture, and then, discerning their reasons, we shall be able to take a firmer hold of them. At the same time, the fundamental principle of rationalism, that reason as such is the judge of the doctrines of revelation, is not contained in these words, and cannot be inferred from them. Hold fast; retain. That which is good; the good, the beautiful, the honorable; a different word from that rendered "good" in ver. 15. We are to retain whatever is good in those "all things" which we are to prove or test, namely, in the prophesyings.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

test
δοκιμάζετε (dokimazete)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1381: From dokimos; to test; by implication, to approve.

all things.
πάντα (panta)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

Hold fast
κατέχετε (katechete)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2722: From kata and echo; to hold down, in various applications.

to what [is]
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

good.
καλὸν (kalon)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2570: Properly, beautiful, but chiefly good, i.e. Valuable or virtuous.


Links
1 Thessalonians 5:21 NIV
1 Thessalonians 5:21 NLT
1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV
1 Thessalonians 5:21 NASB
1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV

1 Thessalonians 5:21 BibleApps.com
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Biblia Paralela
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Chinese Bible
1 Thessalonians 5:21 French Bible
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test all things and hold firmly that (1 Thess. 1 Thes. 1Th iTh i Th)
1 Thessalonians 5:20
Top of Page
Top of Page