1st Thessalonians Chapter 4 verse 17 Holy Bible
then 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.
read chapter 4 in ASV
Then we who are still living will be taken up together with them into the clouds to see the Lord in the air: and so will we be for ever with the Lord.
read chapter 4 in BBE
then *we*, the living who remain, shall be caught up together with them in [the] clouds, to meet the Lord in [the] air; and thus we shall be always with [the] Lord.
read chapter 4 in DARBY
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
read chapter 4 in KJV
read chapter 4 in WBT
then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.
read chapter 4 in WEB
then we who are living, who are remaining over, together with them shall be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in air, and so always with the Lord we shall be;
read chapter 4 in YLT
1st Thessalonians 4 : 17 Bible Verse Songs
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 17. - Then we which are alive and remain; or, are left; that is, the saints who shall then be found alive on the earth. The apostle classes himself among the living, because he was then alive. Shall be caught up. The expression describes the irresistible power with which the saints shall be caught up, perhaps by the ministry of angels. Together with them; with the dead in Christ who are raised. In the clouds. Our Lord is described as coming to judgment in the clouds of heaven (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7). According to the Old Testament representation, God is described as making the clouds his chariot (Psalm 104:3). To meet the Lord; in his descent from heaven to earth. In the air. Not that he shall fix his throne in the air, but that he passes through the air in his descent to the earth. And so shall we ever be with the Lord; shall share a blessed eternity in the vision and participation of his glory. The apostle does not here describe the solemnities of the judgment; but stops at the meeting of Christ and his risen saints, because his object was to comfort the Thessalonians under bereavement.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Shall be caught up.--"Our Assumption," as Bishop Ellicott well calls it. The spiritualising of our natural bodies without death, as described in 1Corinthians 15:50, et seq., will enable us to be "caught up" equally well with, and in company with (both of which thoughts are included in "together with"), the resurgent dead. "Clouds" and "air" will be support enough for material so immaterial. Theodoret says, "He showeth the greatness of the honour: as the Master Himself was taken up upon a shining cloud, so also they that have believed in Him." The absolute equality, then, of quick and dead is proved.To meet the Lord in the air.--St. Chrysostom says:" When the King cometh into a city, they that are honourable proceed forth to meet him, but the guilty await their judge within." The phrase "in the air" certainly does not mean "heaven." The word "air") in itself properly signifies the lower, denser, grosser atmosphere, in which the powers of darkness reign (Ephesians 2:2); but here it is only used in contrast with the ground, and means "on the way from Heaven whence He comes," of course not to dwell there, but to accompany Him to His Judgment-seat on the earth.And so.--Now that St. Paul has settled the question of disparity between the dead and the living, he does not think it necessary to describe what is immediately to follow; that, the Thessalonians were sure to know (see Hebrews 6:2): it only remains to say that having once rejoined the Lord, they would never be parted from Him.
