1 Thessalonians 4:16
What does 1 Thessalonians 4:16 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 Thessalonians 4:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 Thessalonians 4:16 means
The Lord Himself—not merely a representative—will descend from heaven. His coming is unmistakable, heralded by a commanding shout, the archangel’s voice, and “the trump of God.” This signals divine initiative and public vindication. At that moment “the dead in Christ shall rise first.” Those who died trusting the Lord will be raised bodily, demonstrating His victory over death. The details emphasize certainty and majesty rather than satisfy curiosity. The focus is on the Lord’s personal return and the resurrection hope it brings. This is the turning point of history when God’s people are gathered and the reign of the risen Lord is openly displayed.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
KJV
King James Version · 1611For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a word of authority, with the voice of the chief angel, with the sound of a horn: and the dead in Christ will come to life first;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862because the Lord himself, in a shout, in the voice of a chief-messenger, and in the trump of God, shall come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ shall rise first,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air: and so shall we be always with the Lord.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890for the Lord himself, with an assembling shout, with archangel's voice and with trump ofGod, shall descend from heaven; and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
Context
Having promised that the living will not precede the dead (v. 15), Paul now describes the Lord’s return and the priority given to those who have died in Christ. This sets the stage for verse 17, where the living are caught up together with the raised saints to meet the Lord. The sequence is deliberate: Christ descends, the dead rise first, then the living join them. The closing verse (v. 18) will draw the pastoral conclusion: these truths are for comfort and mutual encouragement, not for speculation or fear.
v.15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.
v.16This passage
v.17then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Corinthians 15:51
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed,
- Isaiah 27:13
And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great trumpet shall be blown; and they shall come that were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and they that were outcasts in the land of Egypt; and they shall worship Jehovah in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
- Exodus 20:18
And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off.
- Revelation 1:10
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet
- Psalms 47:5
God is gone up with a shout, Jehovah with the sound of a trumpet.
- Acts 1:11
who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.
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