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OET (OET-LV) But we of_the_day being, may_be_being_sober, having_dressed_in the_breastplate of_faith and love, and the_helmet, the_hope of_salvation.
OET (OET-RV) but we belong to the day. We’ll be dressed in the armour of faith and love, and the helmet which is the hope of our salvation.
Paul explained that when the Lord Jesus returns, God will cause both the Christians who have died and those who will still be alive to ascend to meet the Lord Jesus in the sky. He also explained how the Thessalonians should behave as they waited for the Lord to return.
Because the Lord will return suddenly but people do not know when this will happen, Paul told the believers at Thessalonica that they should be prepared for the Lord Jesus to return at any time.
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober,
But since we(incl) belong to the day, we(incl) should control ourselves.(incl)
But since we(incl) are people who do what is right, we(incl) should be self-controlled.
we belong to the day: Paul had already reminded the Thessalonians that they were “sons of the day.” See the note on 5:5a.
let us be sober: See the note on 5:6b. This is the same word in Greek and should be translated in the same way.
In the rest of the verse, Paul introduced a new metaphor, that of a soldier and his armor. He was probably thinking about Isaiah 59:17. See also Ephesians 6:11–18. Paul meant that Christians use their faith, love, and hope to protect themselves when the devil attacks them. Paul had already mentioned that the Thessalonians had these qualities in 1 Thessalonians 1:3.
putting on the breastplate of faith and love,
Let our(incl) faith in Jesus and our(incl) love for other people protect us(incl) like a breastplate protects a soldier.
Let us(incl) continue to believe in Jesus and love other people. That will protect us(incl) like a breastplate protects a soldier.
As a soldier protects himself by putting on a breastplate, we(incl) must protect ourselves(incl) from the devil’s attacks by continuing to trust in Jesus and continuing to love other people.
putting on: This verb is connected with “let us be sober” in 5:8a. It explains how they should control themselves. Here is another way to translate this:
by putting on (NET)
breastplate: This is the piece of armor a soldier wears to protect the front of his body.
faith: In this context, this refers to believing in Jesus Christ. If a Christian stops believing in Jesus, he becomes weak and the devil can attack him easily by tempting him to do wrong.
love: In this verse Paul probably intended this to refer to the Thessalonians’ love for other people, rather than their love for God. This is the view of most commentators.
and the helmet of our hope of salvation.
And let our(incl) certain hope that Jesus will save us(incl) protect us(incl) like a helmet protects a soldier.
As a soldier protects himself by putting on a helmet, we(incl) must protect ourselves(incl) from Satan by confidently expecting that Jesus will save us.(incl)
And let us(incl) be certain that Jesus will save us.(incl) That will protect us(incl) like a helmet protects a soldier.
the helmet of our hope of salvation: See the notes on hope in 1:3d and 4:13b. Believers do not just vaguely hope that they will be saved someday. They confidently expect that when Jesus returns, he will save them rather than punish them as he will punish unbelievers. They also expect that he will take them to be with him forever. Firmly knowing these things protects believers against the devil when he attacks.
helmet: This is the hat that a soldier wears to protect his head.
If you need to make a lot of implied information explicit in your translation, you could translate 5:8b–c as follows:
We must continue to believe in Jesus, continue to love others, and believe firmly that Jesus will save us in order that we may protect ourselves when the devil attacks us, just as a soldier puts on a breastplate and helmet to protect himself when the enemy attacks.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast
δὲ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἡμεῖς Δέ ἡμέρας ὄντες νήφωμεν ἐνδυσάμενοι θώρακα πίστεως καί ἀγάπης καί περικεφαλαίαν ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας)
Here, the word But introduces a contrast with the people who “sleep” and “get drunk” during the night (see [5:7](../05/07.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that contrasts two groups of people. Alternate translation: [In contrast,] or [Unlike them,]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive
ἡμεῖς
we
Here, the word us includes Paul, his fellow workers, and the Thessalonians. Your language may require you to mark this form.
Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
ἡμέρας ὄντες
˱of˲_˓the˒_day being
Here, the phrase being of day provides a reason why the Thessalonians should be sober. If it would be helpful in your language, you could include a word or phrase that introduces a reason. Alternate translation: [because we are of day]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἡμέρας
˱of˲_˓the˒_day
Here, the phrase of day means basically the same thing as the phrase “sons of day” in [5:5](../05/05.md). Paul means that believers obey God and do what is right, just as people usually do what is right during the day. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [people who obey God and do what is right]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἡμεῖς δὲ ἡμέρας ὄντες, νήφωμεν
we (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἡμεῖς Δέ ἡμέρας ὄντες νήφωμεν ἐνδυσάμενοι θώρακα πίστεως καί ἀγάπης καί περικεφαλαίαν ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας)
Here, the phrase be sober contrasts with the phrase “get drunk” in the previous verse ([5:7](../05/07.md)). Paul means that believers should be self-controlled and obedient to God. He does not just mean that they should not get drunk, although that is part of the command. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [But let us, being of day, not get drunk but be self-controlled]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἐνδυσάμενοι θώρακα πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης, καὶ περικεφαλαίαν, ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας
˓having˒_dressed_in ˓the˒_breastplate ˱of˲_faith (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἡμεῖς Δέ ἡμέρας ὄντες νήφωμεν ἐνδυσάμενοι θώρακα πίστεως καί ἀγάπης καί περικεφαλαίαν ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας)
Here Paul speaks of Christians acting in faith and love as if each of them were a soldier putting on a breastplate. He speaks of Christians experiencing the hope of salvation as if each of them were a soldier putting on a helmet. He means that faith, love, and hope protect believers, just as armor protects soldiers. Paul does not directly state what believers are protected from, but he implies that it is sin and evil powers, including the devil. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a simile or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [acting in faith and love as if they were a breastplate you could put on, and having the hope of salvation as if it were a helmet you would wear] or [protecting yourselves by acting in faith and love and by having the hope of salvation]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
θώρακα πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης, καὶ περικεφαλαίαν, ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας
˓the˒_breastplate ˱of˲_faith (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἡμεῖς Δέ ἡμέρας ὄντες νήφωμεν ἐνδυσάμενοι θώρακα πίστεως καί ἀγάπης καί περικεφαλαίαν ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας)
If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of faith, love, hope, and salvation, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [the breastplate, which stands for believing God and loving people, and a helmet, which stands for hoping that God will save us]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
θώρακα πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης
˓the˒_breastplate ˱of˲_faith (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἡμεῖς Δέ ἡμέρας ὄντες νήφωμεν ἐνδυσάμενοι θώρακα πίστεως καί ἀγάπης καί περικεφαλαίαν ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας)
Here, Paul is using the possessive form to define the breastplate as faith and love. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [a breastplate, which is faith and love] or [the breastplate that is faith and love]
Note 9 topic: translate-unknown
περικεφαλαίαν
˓the˒_helmet
A helmet is a strong hat that a soldier would wear to protect his or her head. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of armor, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [a protective hat] or [something to protect our heads]
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας
˓the˒_hope ˱of˲_salvation
Here, Paul is using the possessive form to describe hope that is focused on salvation. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the hope for salvation] or [the hope that expects salvation]
5:8 Armor . . . helmet (Isa 59:17; Eph 6:11-17): The armament is the moral life (Rom 13:12; 2 Cor 6:7; 10:3-5; 2 Tim 2:3-4). The Christian soldier is equipped with the virtues of faith, love, and confidence (see 1 Thes 1:3; 3:6; 1 Cor 13:13; 2 Thes 1:3-4).
OET (OET-LV) But we of_the_day being, may_be_being_sober, having_dressed_in the_breastplate of_faith and love, and the_helmet, the_hope of_salvation.
OET (OET-RV) but we belong to the day. We’ll be dressed in the armour of faith and love, and the helmet which is the hope of our salvation.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.