1 Thessalonians 4:7

Christian Standard Bible ®

For God has not called us to impurity but to sanctification.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

Legacy Standard Bible
For God did not call us to impurity, but in sanctification.

Simplified Cowboy Version
God did not invite us in to talk big, but to ride hard.

Bible in Basic English
Because it is God's purpose that our way of life may be not unclean but holy.

Darby Translation
For God has not called us to uncleanness, but in sanctification.

World English Bible
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.

Weymouth's New Testament
God has not called us to an unclean life, but to one of purity.

King James Version (1611)
For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse, but vnto holinesse.

Literal Translation
For God did not call us to impurity, but in purity.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For God hath not called vs to vnclennesse, but vnto holynes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness:

Amplified Bible
For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness [to be dedicated, and set apart by behavior that pleases Him, whether in public or in private].

American Standard Version
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

Revised Standard Version
For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For god hath not called vs vnto vnclennes: but vnto holynes.

Update Bible Version
For God called us not for impurity, but in sanctification.

Webster's Bible Translation
For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.

Young's Literal Translation
for God did not call us on uncleanness, but in sanctification;

New Century Version
God called us to be holy and does not want us to live in sin.

New English Translation
For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.

Berean Standard Bible
For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.

Contemporary English Version
God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure.

Complete Jewish Bible
For God did not call us to live an unclean life but a holy one.

English Standard Version
For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse, but vnto holinesse.

George Lamsa Translation
For God has not called you unto uncleanness but unto holiness.

Hebrew Names Version
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

International Standard Version
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:14-15;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For Aloha hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto sanctification.

Murdock Translation
For God did not call you unto impurity, but to sanctification.

New King James Version
For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

New Living Translation
God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.

New Life Bible
For God has not called us to live in sin. He has called us to live a holy life.

English Revised Version
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

New Revised Standard
For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For God did not call us, with a permission of impurity, but, in sanctification.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification.

King James Version
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

Lexham English Bible
For God did not call us to impurity, but in holiness.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For God hath not called vs vnto vncleanenesse, but into holynesse.

Easy-to-Read Version
God chose us to be holy. He does not want us to live in sin.

New American Standard Bible
For God has not called us for impurity, but in sanctification.

Good News Translation
God did not call us to live in immorality, but in holiness.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For God clepide not vs in to vnclennesse, but in to holynesse.

Contextual Overview

¹ Finally then, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you must walk and please God—as you are doing—do so even more. ² For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is God's will, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality, ⁴ so that each of you knows how to control his own body in sanctification and honor, ⁵ not with lustful desires, like the Gentiles who don't know God. ⁶ This means one must not transgress against and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you. ⁷ For God has not called us to impurity but to sanctification. ⁸ Therefore, the person who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who also gives you His Holy Spirit.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: Leviticus 11:44, Leviticus 19:2, Romans 1:7, Romans 8:29, Romans 8:30, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 4:1, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:14, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:14-16, 1 Peter 2:9-12, 1 Peter 2:21, 1 Peter 2:22

uncleanness: 1 Thessalonians 2:3, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 4:19, 2 Peter 2:10

Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:45 - be holy Leviticus 20:7 - General Numbers 15:40 - be holy Psalms 110:3 - beauties Isaiah 35:8 - The way Luke 1:75 - General John 17:19 - for 1 Corinthians 5:1 - fornication 2 Corinthians 7:1 - perfecting Ephesians 5:3 - fornication Colossians 1:22 - to Titus 2:12 - denying 1 Peter 1:15 - as 2 Peter 1:3 - called

Cross-References

Genesis 3:16
He said to the woman: I will intensify your labor pains; you will bear children in anguish. Your desire will be for your husband, yet he will rule over you.

Genesis 4:6
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent?

Genesis 4:8
Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:9
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's guardian?"

Genesis 4:10
Then He said, "What have you done? Your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground!

Genesis 4:11
So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood you have shed.

Genesis 4:12
If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."

Genesis 4:13
But Cain answered the Lord , "My punishment is too great to bear!

Genesis 19:21
And he said to him, "All right, I'll grant your request about this matter too and will not demolish the town you mentioned.

Numbers 32:23
But if you don't do this, you will certainly sin against the Lord ; be sure your sin will catch up with you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For God hath not called us,.... The Syriac version reads "you". This is another reason to enforce the above exhortations, and to caution them against the above unclean practices, taken from the end of the effectual calling by the efficacious grace of God, which is not

unto uncleanness of any sort, as before specified. This they had lived in before their calling, and were now called from it into communion with Christ, who loves righteousness, and hates iniquity; and by the Gospel, which teaches to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to forsake all impurity, both of flesh and spirit:

but this call is

unto holiness of life and conversation in general, and to chastity in thought, look, word, and actions in particular; for God that calls is holy, and therefore those who are called ought to be so; the calling with which they are called is an holy calling, principles of grace and holiness are wrought in their souls, when they are called; and the end of their calling is to live soberly, righteously, and godly; and then, and then only, do they walk worthy of that calling wherewith they are called, and of God who has, by his grace, called them to his kingdom and glory.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness - When he called us to be his followers, it was not that we should lead lives of impurity, but of holiness. We should, therefore, fulfil the purposes for which we were called into his kingdom. The word “uncleanness” (ἀκαθαρσία akatharsia), means, properly, “impurity, filth;” and then, in a moral sense, “pollution, lewdness,” as opposed to chastity; Romans 1:24; Rom 6:19; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. God hath not called us unto uncleanness — He is the creator of male and female, and the institutor of marriage, and he has called men and women to this state; but the end of this and all the other callings of God to man is holiness, not uncleanness. And they who use the marriage state as he directs, will find it conducive to their holiness and perfection.