1 Thessalonians 5:12 (LSB)

Passage

But we ask of you, brothers, that you know those who labor among you, and lead you in the Lord and admonish you,

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 5:10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore, comfort one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:12 But we ask of you, brothers, that you know those who labor among you, and lead you in the Lord and admonish you,

1 Thessalonians 5:13 and that you regard them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "Therefore comfort one another and build up..." into verse 13's "and that you regard them very highly...", so "brothers" and "labor" 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 "brothers" and "labor" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.