What Does 1 Thessalonians 5:13 Mean in the King James?

And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

1 Thessalonians 5:13 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The verse makes shared wholeness inseparable from lavish love toward those who labor among you.

THE MEANING

The people laboring among you are regarded with abundant love because of their work. Wholeness is a shared condition of life among you.

THE ROOT

εἰρηνεύετε

eirēneuete

GROWS FROM

εἰρην-

eirēn-

Peace, concord, wholeness.

“be at peace” in this verse is eirēneuete. The verb and its related noun keep peace and living peaceably within one word family. The phrase places that wholeness “among yourselves,” presenting it as a shared condition of life in the community.

ALSO GROWS

eirēnē: Peace, wholeness.

εἰρήνη

The related noun shows the shared condition toward which the verse’s call to live peaceably points.

eirēnikos: Peaceable; conducive to peace.

εἰρηνικός

This branch connects peace with the quality that shapes how people live together.

ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ

hyperekperissou

GROWS FROM

περισσ-

periss-

Abundance, excess beyond the ordinary.

The phrase translated “very highly” is built on a word family for excess and abundance, so esteem carries a sense of overflowing measure. That abundance is placed in love and tied directly to work that serves the community.

ALSO GROWS

perisseuō: Abound, overflow.

περισσεύω

Its sense of overflow illuminates the unusually abundant measure of esteem in this verse.

perissos: Abundant, exceeding the ordinary.

περισσός

This related word shows the abundance beneath the verse’s intensified regard.

THE PATTERN

Communal wholeness takes shape as people live toward one another in shared peace.

A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Psalm 133:1 · KJVThe verse presents life together in unity as a good and pleasant expression of shared wholeness.

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Romans 12:18 · KJVPeace is described as a way of living that reaches outward into relationships with others.

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:3 · KJVHere peace binds people into unity, expressing the same shared wholeness.

THE THREAD

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Ephesians 2:14 · KJV

The Greek verb translated “be at peace” belongs to the same word family as “peace” in Ephesians 2:14. There, wholeness takes form as people become one and the wall between them comes down.

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