1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ASV)

Passage

pray without ceasing;

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always;

1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing;

1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.

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 always..." into verse 18's "in everything give thanks for this is...", 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.