1 Thessalonians 5:21 (DBY)

Passage

but prove all things, hold fast the right;

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 5:19 quench not the Spirit;

1 Thessalonians 5:20 do not lightly esteem prophecies;

1 Thessalonians 5:21 but prove all things, hold fast the right;

1 Thessalonians 5:22 hold aloof from every form of wickedness.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly: and your whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "prove", "hold", "fast", and "right". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "prove", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "do not lightly esteem prophecies..." into verse 22's "hold aloof from every form of wickedness...", so "all things" and "prove" 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 "all things" and "prove" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.