1 Thessalonians 4:7

King James Version

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

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

English Revised Version
For God called us not for 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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:

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

Contextual Overview

¹ Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. ² For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: ⁴ That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; ⁵ Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: ⁶ That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. ⁷ For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. ⁸ He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us 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
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Genesis 4:6
And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

Genesis 4:8
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Genesis 4:9
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Genesis 4:11
And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

Genesis 4:12
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

Genesis 4:13
And Cain said unto the Lord , My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Genesis 19:21
And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

Numbers 32:23
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord : and be sure your sin will find you out.

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.