1 Thessalonians 5:7
 1 Thessalonians 5:7 
New International Version (©2011)
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.

English Standard Version (©2001)
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.

International Standard Version (©2012)
For people who go to sleep, go to sleep at night; and people who get drunk, get drunk at night.

NET Bible (©2006)
For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk are drunk at night.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
People who sleep, sleep at night; people who get drunk, get drunk at night.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that are drunk are drunk in the night.

American King James Version
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

American Standard Version
For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that are drunk, are drunk in the night.

Darby Bible Translation
for they that sleep sleep by night, and they that drink drink by night;

English Revised Version
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

Webster's Bible Translation
For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that are drunken, are drunken in the night.

Weymouth New Testament
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who drink freely, drink at night.

World English Bible
For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunk are drunk in the night.

Young's Literal Translation
for those sleeping, by night do sleep, and those making themselves drunk, by night are drunken,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:6-11 Most of mankind do not consider the things of another world at all, because they are asleep; or they do not consider them aright, because they sleep and dream. Our moderation as to all earthly things should be known to all men. Shall Christians, who have the light of the blessed gospel shining in their faces, be careless about their souls, and unmindful of another world? We need the spiritual armour, or the three Christian graces, faith, love, and hope. Faith; if we believe that the eye of God is always upon us, that there is another world to prepare for, we shall see reason to watch and be sober. True and fervent love to God, and the things of God, will keep us watchful and sober. If we have hope of salvation, let us take heed of any thing that would shake our trust in the Lord. We have ground on which to build unshaken hope, when we consider, that salvation is by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, to atone for our sins and to ransom our souls. We should join in prayer and praise one with another. We should set a good example one before another, and this is the best means to answer the end of society. Thus we shall learn how to live to Him, with whom we hope to live for ever.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - For; the reason of this exhortation. They that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. Here not to be taken in a metaphorical sense, but a simple statement of fact - what occurs in ordinary experience. The night is the season in which sleep and drunkenness usually occur; whereas the day is the season of watchfulness, sobriety, and work. Both heathen and Jews considered it as eminently disgraceful for a man to be seen drunken in the day-time. Hence, when the Jews accused the believers on the day of Pentecost with being filled with new wine, Peter answered, "We are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day" (Acts 2:15).


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For they that sleep, sleep in the night,.... The night is the usual season for sleep, and sleep is only for such who are in darkness, and are children of the night; and not proper to be indulged by such who are children of the day, and of the light:

and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night; drunkenness is a work of darkness, and therefore men given to excessive drinking love darkness rather than light, and choose the night for their purpose. To be drunk at noon is so shameful and scandalous, that men who love the sin, and indulge themselves in it, take the night season for it; and equally shameful it is, that enlightened persons should be inebriated, either with the cares of this life, or with an over weening opinion of themselves.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7. This verse is to be taken in the literal sense. Night is the time when sleepers sleep, and drinking men are drunk. To sleep by day would imply great indolence; to be drunken by day, great shamelessness. Now, in a spiritual sense, "we Christians profess to be day people, not night people; therefore our work ought to be day work, not night work; our conduct such as will bear the eye of day, and such has no need of the veil of night" [Edmunds], (1Th 5:8).


1 Thessalonians 5:7 Parallel Commentaries

1 Thessalonians 5:7 NIV
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1 Thessalonians 5:7 KJV

Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


The Day of the Lord
6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. …

John 2:10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
Acts 2:15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!
Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
2 Peter 2:13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.