Paragraph 5:19–22

This paragraph deals with Paul’s instructions about how the Thessalonians should treat prophetic messages.

5:19

Do not extinguish the Spirit: Here Paul was using a figure of speech that compared the Holy Spirit to a fire. This same figure of speech occurs elsewhere in the New Testament, for example, Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:3. Some translations include the implied information, “fire,” in order to make the figure of speech clearer. There are different ways you can translate this figure of speech:

• If you have used the metaphor of “fire” for the Holy Spirit elsewhere in the New Testament, you will probably be able to retain it here, though it may be a good idea to make it explicit. For example:

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire (New International Version (2011 Revision))

• Omit the comparison to “fire” and translate the meaning in a different way. For example:

Do not restrain the Holy Spirit (Good News Translation)
-or-
Do not hold back the work of the Spirit (New Century Version)

You should choose whichever possibility works best in your language.

the Spirit: The phrase the Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit, and you may need to make this explicit in your translation by either using your term for “Holy Spirit” or by using a phrase such as “God’s Spirit.”

The emphasis in this command is on this phrase “the Spirit.” See the note on 5:15b above. You should emphasize this in your translation in the way that is natural in your language.

© 2002 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.