1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)

Passage

Pray without ceasing.

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice evermore.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "pray", "without", and "ceasing". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "pray" and "without", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "Rejoice evermore..." into verse 18's "In every thing give thanks for this...", so "pray" and "without" 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 "pray" and "without" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.