SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:21
Examinadlo todo; retened lo que fuere bueno.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Verse 21. Prove all things] Whatever ye hear in these prophesyings or preachings, examine by the words of Christ, and by the doctrines which, from time to time, we have delivered unto you in our preaching and writings. Try the spirits - the different teachers, by the word of God. Hold fast that which is good.] Whatever in these prophesyings has a tendency to increase your faith, love, holiness, and usefulness, that receive and hold fast. There were prophets or teachers even at that time who professed to be of God, and yet were not.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. Prove all things , etc.] That are said by the prophets, all the doctrines which they deliver; hear them, though they have not the gift of tongues, and all desirable advantages; do not reject them on that account, and refuse to hear them, for so, many useful men may be laid aside, and the Spirit of God in them be quenched; try their gifts, and attend to their doctrines, yet do not implicitly believe everything they say, but examine them according to the word of God the test and standard of truth; search the Scriptures, whether the things they say are true or not. Not openly erroneous persons, and known heretics, are to be heard and attended on, but the ministers of the word, or such who are said to have a gift of prophesying; these should make use of it, and the church should try and judge their gift, and accordingly encourage or discourage; and also their doctrines, and if false reject them, and if true receive them. Hold fast that which is good ; honest, pleasant, profitable, and agreeable to sound doctrine, to the analogy of faith, and the Scriptures of truth, and is useful and edifying, instructive both as to principle and practice; such should be held fast, that no man take it away; and be retained, though a majority may be against it, for the multitude is not always on the side of truth; and though it may be rejected by men of learning and wealth, as Christ and his doctrines were rejected by the Scribes and Pharisees, and rulers of the people; and though it may be reproached as a novel, upstart notion, or a licentious one, since these were charges against the doctrine of Christ, and his apostles; and though it may be attended with affliction and persecution, yet none of these things should move from it, or cause to let it go.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-22 - We are to rejoice in creature-comforts, as if we rejoiced not, and mus not expect to live many years, and rejoice in them all; but if we d rejoice in God, we may do that evermore. A truly religious life is life of constant joy. And we should rejoice more, if we prayed more Prayer will help forward all lawful business, and every good work. I we pray without ceasing, we shall not want matter for thanksgiving in every thing. We shall see cause to give thanks for sparing an preventing, for common and uncommon, past and present, temporal an spiritual mercies. Not only for prosperous and pleasing, but also for afflicting providences, for chastisements and corrections; for God designs all for our good, though we at present see not how they tend to it. Quench not the Spirit. Christians are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He worketh as fire, by enlightening enlivening, and purifying the souls of men. As fire is put out by taking away fuel, and as it is quenched by pouring water, or putting great deal of earth upon it; so we must be careful not to quench the Holy Spirit, by indulging carnal lusts and affections, minding onl earthly things. Believers often hinder their growth in grace, by no giving themselves up to the spiritual affections raised in their heart by the Holy Spirit. By prophesyings, here understand the preaching of the word, the interpreting and applying the Scriptures. We must no despise preaching, though it is plain, and we are told no more tha what we knew before. We must search the Scriptures. And proving all things must be to hold fast that which is good. We should abstain from sin, and whatever looks like sin, leads to it, and borders upon it. He who is not shy of the appearances of sin, who shuns not the occasion of it, and who avoids not the temptations and approaches to it, wil not long keep from doing sin.
Greek Textus Receptus
παντα 3956 δοκιμαζετε 1381 5720 το 3588 καλον 2570 κατεχετε 2722 5720
Vincent's NT Word Studies
21. Prove all things (panta dokimazete). A general exhortation, not confined to prophesyings; but Paul elsewhere insists that a test be applied to phenomena which claim to be supernatural. See on discerning of spirits, 1 Cor. xii. 10; xiv. 29, and comp. 2 Thess. ii. 2, and 1 John iv. 1-3. For dokimazete prove, see on 1 Pet. i. 7. In LXX, Proverbs xxvii. 21; Psalm xi. 6, dokimion is a crucible or furnace.
Hold fast that which is good (to kalon katecet). These words are associated in early Christian writers with an apocryphal saying ascribed to Jesus, and very frequently quoted, ginesqe de dokimoi trapezitai show yourselves approved money-changers. By some ancient writers the two are cited together as Paul's; by others they are distinguished, as by Origen, who cites the saying as an injunction (entolhn) of Jesus, and adds, "and also (observing) the teaching of Paul, who says, 'prove all things, hold fast the good, abstain from every form of evil.'" The saying about the money-changers is probably a genuine logion of the Lord. Some have thought that the words added by Clement of Alexandria, "rejecting some things but holding fast the good, " formed part of the Lord's saying, and that, accordingly, Paul's words here depend on an original utterance of Jesus. If this could be proved, eidov form, ver. 22, might be explained as a figure of exchangers distinguishing between genuine and false coins. 32
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:21 {Prove all things} (panta [de] dokimazete). Probably de (but) is genuine. Even the gift of prophecy has to be tested (#1Co 12:10; 14:29) to avoid error. Paul shows fine balance here. {Hold fast that which is good} (to kalon katecete). Keep on holding down the beautiful (noble, morally beautiful). Present imperative kat-ecw (perfective use of kata- here).
