1 Thessalonians · Chapter 5 · Friendship
1 Thessalonians 5:11 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do."
KJV · King James Version
"Wherefore1352 comfort3870 yourselves together240, and2532 edify3618 one1520 another1520, even2531 as also2532 ye do4160. comfort: or, exhort"
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses wherefore, comfort, yourselves, together, while the WEB renders these as therefore, build, each, other. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
1 Thessalonians 5:11 in 1 Thessalonians 5
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is 1 Thessalonians 5:11 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of 1 Thessalonians 5. Read the full chapter →
- v.9 For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- v.10 who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
- v.11 Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.
- v.12 But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,
- v.13 and to respect and honor them in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
Book background
About the Book of 1 Thessalonians
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- Pauline epistle
- Author
- Paul
- Date written
- c. 51 AD
- Audience
- The young church at Thessalonica
- Chapters
- 5
1 Thessalonians comforts a young persecuted church with the certainty of Christ's return — that the Lord will descend with a shout, the dead in Christ will rise first, and believers will be caught up "to meet the Lord in the air" (4:16-17). It also urges practical holiness and quiet, hardworking lives.
Setting: One of Paul's earliest letters — within months of planting the church.
Key themes: hope · second coming · sanctification · love · work
Memorisation aid
How to memorise 1 Thessalonians 5:11
1 Thessalonians 5:11 contains 14 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
Therefore exhort one another
TEOA
- 2
and build each other up
ABEOU
- 3
even as you also do.
EAYAD
Frequently asked
FAQ about 1 Thessalonians 5:11
What does 1 Thessalonians 5:11 say?
1 Thessalonians 5:11 reads: "Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do." — from the New Testament, 1 Thessalonians (Pauline epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is 1 Thessalonians 5:11 in?
1 Thessalonians 5:11 is in the book of 1 Thessalonians, traditionally attributed to Paul and written around c. 51 AD. 1 Thessalonians is pauline epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to The young church at Thessalonica. Best known for the rapture passage (4:16-17) and the second coming.
What is 1 Thessalonians 5:11 about?
1 Thessalonians 5:11 is primarily a Bible verse about Friendship, with related themes including Encouragement. Within 1 Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians comforts a young persecuted church with the certainty of Christ's return — that the Lord will descend with a shout, the dead in Christ will rise first, and believers will be caught up "to meet the Lord in the air" (4:16-17). Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between 1 Thessalonians 5:11 in WEB and KJV?
1 Thessalonians 5:11 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Wherefore1352 comfort3870 yourselves together240, and2532 edify3618 one1520 another1520, even2531 as also2532 ye do4160. comfort: or, exhort". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is 1 Thessalonians 5:11?
1 Thessalonians 5:11 is 14 words in the WEB translation (75 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 4 seconds.
How can I memorise 1 Thessalonians 5:11?
To memorise 1 Thessalonians 5:11, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does 1 Thessalonians 5:11 matter in 1 Thessalonians?
1 Thessalonians comforts a young persecuted church with the certainty of Christ's return — that the Lord will descend with a shout, the dead in Christ will rise first, and believers will be caught up "to meet the Lord in the air" (4:16-17). It also urges practical holiness and quiet, hardworking lives. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 sits within this larger story — 1 Thessalonians as a whole emphasises hope, second coming, sanctification.
How can I apply 1 Thessalonians 5:11 today?
Many readers use 1 Thessalonians 5:11 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download 1 Thessalonians 5:11 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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Ruth 1:16
“Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be…”
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-
Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.”
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-
Proverbs 27:17
“Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.”
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Matthew 7:12
“Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”
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John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
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Ecclesiastes 4:9
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.”
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Genesis 2:18
“Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.””
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-
Proverbs 18:24
“A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
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-
Ecclesiastes 4:10
“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.”
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-
Galatians 6:2
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
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1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Rejoice always.”
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1 Thessalonians 5:17
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1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.”
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1 Thessalonians 5:24
“He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.”
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