1-thessalonians 4:8
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
He therefore that despises, despises not man, but God, who has also given to us his holy Spirit.
American King James Version (AKJV)
He therefore that despises, despises not man, but God, who has also given to us his holy Spirit.
American Standard Version (ASV)
Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Whoever, then, goes against this word, goes against not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Webster's Revision
He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given to us his holy Spirit.
World English Bible
Therefore he who rejects this doesn't reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
English Revised Version (ERV)
Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.
Clarke's 1-thessalonians 4:8 Bible Commentary
He therefore that despiseth - He who will not receive these teachings, and is led either to undervalue or despise them, despises not us but God, from whom we have received our commission, and by whose Spirit we give these directions. See Clarke's note on 1 Thessalonians 4:15.
Hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit - Instead of εις ἡμας, unto Us, εις ὑμας, unto You, is the reading of BDEFG, a great many others, the Syriac, all the Arabic, Armenian, later Syriac in the margin, some of the Itala, Clement, Didymus, and Ambrosiaster; this seems to be the better reading. God has taught us that we may teach you; and he has also given you his Holy Spirit that ye might understand and be enabled to practice these things. It is one thing to receive a revelation from the Spirit of God; it is another thing to receive that Spirit to enable a man to live according to that revelation. In the first sense the apostles alone received this Holy Spirit; in the latter sense all true Christians, as well as the Thessalonians, receive it. I think ὑμας, you, is the true reading, and that it is confirmed by the following verse: For ye yourselves are Taught of God to love one another. Griesbach has inserted it in the margin, but has not admitted it into the text, because it has not what he deemed full support from those MSS. which are of the Alexandrian recension; but he thought its genuineness very probable.
Barnes's 1-thessalonians 4:8 Bible Commentary
He therefore that despiseth - Margin, "rejecteth." That is, he who disregards such commands as these which call him to a holy life, is really rejecting and disobeying God. Some might be disposed to say that these were merely the precepts of man, and that therefore it was not important whether they were obeyed or not. The apostle assures them in the most solemn manner, that, though communicated to them by man, yet they were really the commands of God.
Who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit - This is a claim to inspiration. Paul did not give these commands as his own, but as taught by the Spirit of God; compare notes on 1 Corinthians 7:40.
Wesley's 1-thessalonians 4:8 Bible Commentary
4:8 He that despiseth - The commandments we gave.Despiseth God - Himself. Who hath also given you his Holy Spirit - To convince you of the truth, and enable you to be holy.What naked majesty of words! How oratorical, and yet with what great simplicity! - a simplicity that does not impair, but improve, the understanding to the utmost; that, like the rays of heat through a glass, collects all the powers of reason into one orderly point, from being scattered abroad in utter confusion.
