1 Thessalonians 5:12 (KJV)

Passage

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

1 Thessalonians 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

1 Thessalonians 5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "beseech", "brethren", "labour", "over", "lord", and "admonish". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "beseech" and "brethren", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one..." into verse 13's "And to esteem them very highly in...", so "beseech" and "brethren" belong inside that flow. In 1 Thessalonians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "beseech" and "brethren" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.