1 Thessalonians 5:21 (WEB)

Passage

Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good.

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Don’t quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:20 Don’t despise prophesies.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from every form of evil.

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

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "Don t despise prophesies..." into verse 22's "Abstain from every form of evil...", so "all things" and "test" 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 "test" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.