1st Thessalonians Chapter 5 verse 4 Holy Bible
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief:
read chapter 5 in ASV
But you, my brothers, are not in the dark, for that day to overtake you like a thief:
read chapter 5 in BBE
But *ye*, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief:
read chapter 5 in DARBY
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
read chapter 5 in KJV
read chapter 5 in WBT
But you, brothers, aren't in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief.
read chapter 5 in WEB
and ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day may catch you as a thief;
read chapter 5 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 4. - But ye, brethren; ye believers, in opposition to the unbelieving world. Are not in darkness; referring back to the night (ver. 2), when the thief comes. By darkness is here meant, not merely ignorance, but moral depravity - the darkness of sin. Ye are not in the ignorant and sinful condition of the unredeemed world, so as to be surprised by the day of the Lord. With you it is not night, but day; the light of the gospel is shining around you; and therefore the day of the Lord's coming will not surprise you in an unprepared state. That; a statement, not of result, but of purpose - "in order that." That day; the day; namely, the day of the Lord. Should overtake you - surprise you - as a thief.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) But ye.--"Though the world (which lieth in darkness) may be surprised at the coming of the Day, you, members of the Church, living in the light, cannot be surprised." The words "in darkness" seem to be suggested by the mention of "night" in 1Thessalonians 5:2; and the chief thought (as the succeeding verses show) is that of supineness, inattention, torpor, not so much either ignorance or sin.That day.--Literally, the day: so that it does not mean the Judgment Day simply as a point of time, but brings out its characteristic of being a day indeed. (Comp. 1Corinthians 3:13.)As a thief.--There is another reading which has two of the best MSS. and he Coptic version in its favour, and the judgment of Lachmann and Dr. Lightfoot," As thieves." But not only is the evidence from the MSS. strongly in favour of the Received text, but the whole context shows that St. Paul was not thinking of the day as catching them at evil practices, but as catching them in inadvertence.