1 Thessalonians 5:7 – “For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.”
Extended Explanation of the Verse
In this verse, Paul continues using the imagery of night and day, sleep and wakefulness, to make a spiritual point. When he says, “those who sleep, sleep at night,” and “those who get drunk, get drunk at night,” he’s talking about more than just physical sleep or alcohol. He’s using these as symbols of spiritual unawareness and moral carelessness.
In the Bible, night often represents a time of sin, confusion, and separation from God. Sleep stands for a lack of spiritual alertness-being indifferent to what matters most. Drunkenness symbolizes a lack of self-control and judgment. Paul is painting a picture of how people live when they are apart from God: unaware, unprepared, and distracted by worldly pleasures or concerns.
This verse helps set up a contrast. In the next verse, Paul will talk about how believers are supposed to live differently. But here, he’s describing what life looks like for those who are still in spiritual darkness.
Historical Context
In the culture of Paul’s day, just like today, people often associated nighttime with behavior that was hidden or shameful-things that people didn’t want seen in the light. Whether it was crime, drunkenness, or immoral living, it often happened after dark. So Paul draws from that cultural understanding to make a spiritual point.
The Thessalonian believers had come out of that kind of lifestyle. Many of them had once lived in spiritual darkness, doing whatever felt good or seemed right at the time. But now, Paul reminds them they no longer belong to that kind of life. They’ve been brought into the light through Christ.
This verse serves as a reminder of the world they used to belong to-and what they’ve been saved from.
Theological Implications
This verse teaches that there is a real difference between the way people live when they belong to God and when they don’t. People who are disconnected from God tend to drift through life, spiritually asleep, unaware of eternal things. Others fill their lives with distractions or sinful pleasures to avoid facing the truth.
But for those who follow Christ, that’s no longer our story. We are called to live in the light, with clear minds and a focused heart. This verse is not just a warning-it’s a diagnosis of what spiritual darkness looks like. It’s a reminder of what God has rescued us from.
It also shows that God takes moral clarity and spiritual awareness seriously. Living a careless or distracted life is not just dangerous-it’s out of step with who God calls us to be.
Literary Analysis
Paul is using parallel structure here: “those who sleep, sleep at night… those who get drunk, get drunk at night.” It’s a poetic and balanced way of expressing his point. This structure emphasizes the connection between night and the behaviors he’s describing.
These phrases are literal truths but carry symbolic weight. Paul is layering meaning. Sleep and drunkenness aren’t just physical-they represent spiritual and moral conditions. The contrast between night and day is central to this whole passage, and Paul is using this verse to define what belongs to the “night life” of this world.
This verse prepares the reader for the next one, where Paul contrasts that darkness with the light-filled life of a believer.
Biblical Cross-References
- Ephesians 5:11 – “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
- Romans 13:13 – “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness…”
- John 3:19-20 – “People loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”
- Proverbs 4:19 – “But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.”
- Luke 21:34 – “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life…”
What This Verse Means for Today’s Christian
For Christians today, this verse is a clear reminder of what we’ve left behind. It’s easy to forget that we used to live in darkness-spiritually asleep or distracted. But Paul reminds us that those who live without Christ live in a way that’s disconnected from reality. They don’t see what’s coming. They live for the moment, not eternity.
This verse challenges us not to return to that kind of life. Even if the world says it’s normal to live for comfort, pleasure, or self-God has called us to something higher. We’re meant to live with clarity, purpose, and alertness.
It also encourages us to be compassionate. People who are still living in the “night” aren’t our enemies-they’re people who need the light of Christ. They need someone to show them there’s a better way.
How This Verse Relates to a Loving God
God’s love is shown in that He doesn’t leave us in the dark. He brings us into the light. He doesn’t want us to live unaware or stuck in destructive patterns. He cares too much to let us stay asleep to what truly matters.
This verse shows the difference between the world’s way and God’s way-and how God lovingly calls us out of the old life into a new one. He warns us about the danger of spiritual sleep not to scare us, but to rescue us.
How This Verse Connects to Jesus Christ
Jesus is the Light who breaks through the darkness. In John 12:46, He says, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus makes it possible for us to wake up, see clearly, and live fully.
Without Him, we’re all asleep or stumbling in the dark. But when we trust Him, He opens our eyes and gives us a new way to live-awake, sober, and ready for His return.
This verse reminds us why we need Jesus and how different life looks when we’re walking in His light.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- What does “sleep” or “darkness” look like in today’s world?
- Are there areas of your life where you’ve been spiritually distracted or careless?
- How can you stay spiritually alert in a world that encourages you to “relax” your faith?
- How has Jesus brought you out of darkness and into light?
- Who in your life might still be “asleep,” and how can you help them see the light?