1 Thessalonians 5:20

Despise not prophesyings.

Despise {G1848} not {G3361} prophesyings {G4394}.

don’t despise inspired messages.

Do not treat prophecies with contempt,

despise not prophesyings;

Commentary

The Apostle Paul's concise instruction in 1 Thessalonians 5:20, "Despise not prophesyings," is a vital directive for the early church and remains relevant for believers today. It is part of a series of short, impactful exhortations given at the close of his first letter to the Thessalonians, emphasizing practical Christian living and corporate worship.

Context

This verse is nestled within Paul's final pastoral advice to the Thessalonian believers, following his teachings on living a sanctified life and preparing for the Lord's return. The early church was characterized by a vibrant manifestation of spiritual gifts, including prophecy, which played a significant role in their gatherings. Paul's admonition here suggests that there might have been a tendency, perhaps due to misuse or misunderstanding of the gift, to disregard or treat with contempt genuine prophetic utterances. Crucially, this verse is immediately followed by the command in 1 Thessalonians 5:21: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good," highlighting the need for both openness to God's voice and careful discernment.

Key Themes

  • Respect for Divine Communication: Paul urges believers not to dismiss or disrespect messages believed to be inspired by God. Prophecy, in its purest form, is God speaking through a person.
  • Value of Spiritual Gifts: The command underscores the importance Paul placed on the active use of spiritual gifts within the church for edification and guidance. To despise them would be to quench the Spirit's work among them (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
  • Balance and Discernment: While not despising, the church is also called to evaluate. It's a call to neither be gullible nor cynical, but to approach spiritual expressions with a spirit of biblical inquiry and discernment.

Linguistic Insights

The word "despise" translates the Greek exoutheneo (ἐξουθενέω), which means "to treat with contempt," "to utterly reject," "to count as nothing," or "to despise." It conveys a strong sense of scorn or disdain. Paul is not merely saying "don't ignore," but "don't treat as worthless."

The term "prophesyings" (Greek: propheteia - προφητεία) refers to inspired utterances. In the New Testament, prophecy wasn't solely about predicting the future; it primarily involved "forth-telling" God's message, which often included exhortation, edification, and comfort for the believers, as seen in 1 Corinthians 14:3. It was a means by which God communicated His will and truth to His people directly.

Practical Application

For contemporary believers, "Despise not prophesyings" encourages an openness to how God may speak and move, whether through Spirit-inspired preaching, teaching, or direct prophetic words. It warns against a cynical or overly intellectual approach that automatically dismisses anything perceived as supernatural or overtly spiritual.

However, this openness must always be coupled with the discernment commanded in the very next verse. We are called to "test the spirits" (1 John 4:1) and to evaluate all messages against the unchanging truth of God's written Word. The goal is to embrace genuine divine communication while rejecting that which is false or unhelpful, ensuring that all things are done decently and in order for the glory of God and the edification of the church.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Corinthians 14:3 (11 votes)

    But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:6 (11 votes)

    ¶ Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

  • 1 Corinthians 14:1 (10 votes)

    ¶ Follow after charity, and desire spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:22 (8 votes)

    Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying [serveth] not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:25 (8 votes)

    And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on [his] face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

  • Numbers 11:25 (8 votes)

    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.

  • Numbers 11:29 (8 votes)

    And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, [and] that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!