1 Thessalonians 5:13 Meaning: Respecting Leaders and Keeping Peace

The word translated esteem is hēgeomai, which originally means to lead or to go before. Paul uses it in the sense of considering someone, giving them your thoughtful attention. It is an active judgment of their worth, not a passive feeling. And he piles on a compound intensifier: huperekperissou (more than overabundantly). You cannot say it more strongly. This is not merely polite respect. It is recognition that overflows.

The second key word is eirēneuete, be at peace. This is a present imperative, a continuous command. Paul does not say try to make peace once. He says keep living in peace, actively cultivating it. Peace is a habit the whole church practices, not just something that happens when nobody argues. Together these words shape a picture: generous honor toward leaders and ongoing, deliberate peace among the whole congregation.

Christians have understood this verse with the same heart but different emphases. John Calvin, a Reformed theologian, saw the call to peace as a necessary guard against Satan stirring up quarrels between pastors and people. He said pastors should be loved because the gospel itself is lovely. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, stressed that esteeming leaders in love means providing for their practical needs, so they lack nothing. Matthew Henry, a Presbyterian minister, urged that we should not only care for our own comfort but also promote the comfort of others. Baptist writer John Gill noted that the Syriac version reads have peace with them, connecting the two parts closely. Across traditions the point holds: honor for leaders and peace in the church belong together. Each tradition highlights a different facet of the same gem.

Some read be at peace among yourselves as a simple command to avoid conflict at all costs, as if peace means pretending everything is fine. In fact, the Greek verb is an active, continuous practice: keep making peace. Paul is not telling you to ignore problems. He is telling you to work at harmony, especially when disagreements arise. True peace does not hide conflict; it resolves it in love.

This week, consider one person who leads in your church: a pastor, a small group leader, a Sunday school teacher. Say something specific about their work when you see them. Not a vague good job, but a real sentence: I noticed how you handled that question with patience. Or Your lesson helped me this week. Let them know you see the labor, not just the title.

Then look for a small way to keep peace. If you feel irritation rising toward someone in the congregation, resist the urge to spread it. Say a short prayer instead. Be the kind of person who makes peace easier for everyone.