17Pray without ceasing.
18Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19Do not extinguish the Spirit.
20Do not treat prophecies with contempt,
21but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
The Day of the Lord
Do not extinguish the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 · Berean Standard Bible
Don't quench the Holy Spirit—don't suppress or ignore his work and promptings in your own life or in others.
Some Thessalonians may have been doubting whether the Spirit still spoke through prophecy or spiritual gifts. Paul is saying: don't shut down what God is trying to do among you.
Paul, protecting the Spirit's freedom in the church
The Spirit is alive and active in the church, and believers are called to cooperate with him rather than resist or fear his work. It's foundational to vibrant faith.
Do not suppress or extinguish the Spirit—maintain openness to the Spirit's gifting and movement within your community.
The phrase 'to pneuma mē sbennyte' (do not extinguish the Spirit) uses language of snuffing out a flame, suggesting that the Spirit's work can be obstructed through active resistance or passive indifference. This warning likely addresses a problem in Thessalonica: some may have been dismissing prophetic utterances (the next verse) as enthusiastic excess, thereby quenching genuine charismatic expression.
Paul
This represents Paul's characteristic both/and approach: later he will warn against false prophecy and disorder (1 Corinthians 12-14), but here he prioritizes receptivity. The Spirit's gifts are essential to the church's life.
17Pray without ceasing.
18Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19Do not extinguish the Spirit.
20Do not treat prophecies with contempt,
21but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
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