1 Thessalonians 5:20
New International Version
Do not treat prophecies with contempt

New Living Translation
Do not scoff at prophecies,

English Standard Version
Do not despise prophecies,

Berean Standard Bible
Do not treat prophecies with contempt,

Berean Literal Bible
Do not despise prophecies,

King James Bible
Despise not prophesyings.

New King James Version
Do not despise prophecies.

New American Standard Bible
do not utterly reject prophecies,

NASB 1995
do not despise prophetic utterances.

NASB 1977
do not despise prophetic utterances.

Legacy Standard Bible
do not despise prophecies,

Amplified Bible
Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning].

Christian Standard Bible
Don’t despise prophecies,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t despise prophecies,

American Standard Version
despise not prophesyings;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Do not reject prophecy.

Contemporary English Version
or ignore prophecies.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Despise not prophecies.

English Revised Version
despise not prophesyings;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't despise what God has revealed.

Good News Translation
do not despise inspired messages.

International Standard Version
Do not despise prophecies.

Literal Standard Version
do not despise prophesyings;

Majority Standard Bible
Do not treat prophecies with contempt,

New American Bible
Do not despise prophetic utterances.

NET Bible
Do not treat prophecies with contempt.

New Revised Standard Version
Do not despise the words of prophets,

New Heart English Bible
Do not treat prophecies with contempt,

Webster's Bible Translation
Despise not prophesyings.

Weymouth New Testament
Do not think meanly of utterances of prophecy;

World English Bible
Don’t despise prophecies.

Young's Literal Translation
prophesyings despise not;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Christian Living
19Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt, 21but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.…

Cross References
Acts 13:1
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.

1 Corinthians 11:4
Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.

1 Corinthians 14:31
For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.


Treasury of Scripture

Despise not prophesyings.

1 Thessalonians 4:8
He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

Numbers 11:25-29
And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease…

1 Samuel 10:5,6,10-13
After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: …

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1 Thessalonians 5
1. He proceeds in the description of Christ's coming to judgment;
16. and gives various instructions;
23. and so concludes the epistle.














(20) Despise not prophesyings.--The highest outward or charismatic manifestation of this inward fire was the gift of "prophecy" (1Corinthians 12:28; 1Corinthians 14:1; 1Corinthians 14:5; 1Corinthians 14:39), which was an inspired and inspiring preaching, The despondency of the Thessalonians led them not only to quench the fervour of the Holy Ghost in their own bosoms, but to turn a cold and disparaging ear to the sanguine "prophets" who preached to them, the effect of which insensibility was to "quench the Spirit" by degrees in the prophets also. It is because of this double effect of gloominess, inward upon themselves, and outward upon others, that the command, "Quench not," occurs between the exhortation to thanksgiving and the warning not to despise prophecy. This seems to be the most natural way of accounting for the present warning, but there are two other main interpretations:--(1) It is said that what tempted the Thessalonians to disparage prophecy was their fascination for the more showy gift of tongues. It is true that such was the case at Corinth, and not unnaturally so; and at first sight it seems as if, in 1Corinthians 14:1, "spiritual gifts" were contrasted with "prophecy" as two separate classes, thus giving some ground for Bishop Words-worth's interpretation of our present passage--viz., that 1Thessalonians 5:19 refers to the gifts of tongues, miracles, &c., in something of the same contrast with "prophecy" in 1Thessalonians 5:20 as may be found in 1Corinthians 14:39. But, on the other hand, it seems more likely that in 1Corinthians 14:1 prophecy is not contrasted with the spiritual gifts there specified as a separate class, but selected from among them: "It is all very well to covet spiritual gifts as a whole, but it would be better to aim more particularly at that one--prophecy--which is the greatest:" just so here, "Do not quench the Spirit, in whatever direction it may blaze up; but especially do not disparage preaching." Besides, there is nothing to prove that the Thessalonians were dazzled by the more brilliant gifts: and it accords better with the context to suppose that the fault to be corrected in them was not a light sensationalism, but a tendency to damp all ardour alike. (2) Others suppose that the Thessalonians had had experience of persons who had abused the gift of prophecy, and therefore were disposed to suspect and dislike prophecy altogether. This view gains support from 2Thessalonians 2:2, and also from the command in 1Thessalonians 5:21 to test, and retain only what stood the test. There is no particular ground for contradicting this view; but it is unnecessary, and does not carry on the thought so connectedly. . . . Verse 20. - Despise not prophesyings. This refers to the miraculous gift of prophecy possessed by the primitive Church. And by prophesyings here we are to understand, not the prediction of the future, but inspired discourse, conducive to the instruction and edification of the Church. "By the term 'prophesying,'" observes Calvin, "I do not understand the gift of foretelling the future, but the science of interpreting Scripture, so that a prophet is an interpreter of the will of God." This useful gift, it would seem, was apt to be despised, and the inferior miraculous gift of tongues to be preferred before it (1 Corinthians 14:1-3).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Do not treat
ἐξουθενεῖτε (exoutheneite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1848: To set at naught, ignore, despise. A variation of exoudenoo and meaning the same.

prophecies {with contempt},
προφητείας (prophēteias)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 4394: Prophecy, prophesying; the gift of communicating and enforcing revealed truth. From prophetes; prediction.


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NT Letters: 1 Thessalonians 5:20 Don't despise prophesies (1 Thess. 1 Thes. 1Th iTh i Th)
1 Thessalonians 5:19
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