1 Thessalonians · Chapter 5 · Prayer
1 Thessalonians 5:17 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
Read this verse slowly. Let it settle before you move on.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Pray without ceasing."
KJV · King James Version
"Pray4336 without ceasing89."
In context
1 Thessalonians 5:17 in 1 Thessalonians 5
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is 1 Thessalonians 5:17 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of 1 Thessalonians 5. Read the full chapter →
- v.15 See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good, for one another, and for all.
- v.16 Rejoice always.
- v.17 Pray without ceasing.
- v.18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.
- v.19 Don’t quench the Spirit.
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
Frequently asked
FAQ about 1 Thessalonians 5:17
What does 1 Thessalonians 5:17 say?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 reads: "Pray without ceasing." — 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 5:17 in?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 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 5:17 about?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 is primarily a Bible verse about Prayer. 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 5:17 in WEB and KJV?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Pray without ceasing.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Pray4336 without ceasing89.". 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 5:17?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 is 3 words in the WEB translation (21 characters), broken into 1 clause. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 3 seconds.
How can I memorise 1 Thessalonians 5:17?
To memorise 1 Thessalonians 5:17, split it into its 1 natural clause 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 5:17 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 5:17 sits within this larger story — 1 Thessalonians as a whole emphasises hope, second coming, sanctification.
How can I apply 1 Thessalonians 5:17 today?
Many readers use 1 Thessalonians 5:17 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 5:17 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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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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Philippians 4:6-7
“In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which sur…”
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Matthew 7:7
““Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.”
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2 Chronicles 7:14
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will fo…”
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Matthew 6:9
“Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.”
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James 5:16
“Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”
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James 5:14-15
“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the pra…”
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Psalms 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.”
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Psalms 34:4
“I sought Yahweh, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
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Psalms 51:10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”
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Jeremiah 33:3
“‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don’t know.’”
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1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.”
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1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Rejoice always.”
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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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