1 Thessalonians 5:13 Commentary: Esteeming Leaders and Cultivating Peace

Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians around AD 50-51, likely from Corinth, to a young church he had founded only months earlier (Acts 17:1-9). Thessalonica was a bustling port city in Macedonia, a free city with a strategic location on the Via Egnatia. Its population was a mix of Greeks, Romans, and a Jewish minority. Paul’s ministry there had been cut short by opposition, forcing him to leave abruptly (Acts 17:10). The church now faced external persecution (1 Thess 2:14) and internal confusion about the fate of deceased believers (4:13-18).

In this context, 5:12-13 comes toward the end of the letter, in a section of final exhortations (5:12-24). Paul has just urged mutual encouragement and edification (5:11), then turns to the congregation’s relationship with their leaders. The leaders described in v.12 are those who “labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you.” In the early house-church setting, these leaders likely included elders and overseers who taught, guided, and corrected, often from among the original converts, not yet a formal clergy with titles. The command to esteem them “very highly” countered any tendency to despise leaders who were recent converts, socially low-status, or unpaid. Paul’s point is not flattery but justice: their work earns honor. The phrase “in love” (ἐν ἀγάπῃ) reflects the deep bond between pastor and people, a relationship Paul himself modeled (2:7-8).

The call to “be at peace among yourselves” (εἰρηνεύετε, present imperative) urges ongoing, intentional peacemaking. In a congregation divided by social class (1 Thess 4:11-12) and possibly by loyalty to different teachers (as later at Corinth), this was not a passive wish but an active command. The surrounding verses (5:14-15) flesh out what peace looks like: admonishing the unruly, encouraging the faint-hearted, supporting the weak, and refusing retaliation. Paul ties it all together in the prayer for full sanctification (5:23).

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for the Greek text of 1 Thessalonians 5:13. The reading εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς (“be at peace among yourselves”) is well supported by the major manuscripts. Some Latin manuscripts (Vulgate) and early translations read “have peace with them” (cum eis), which Calvin preferred, but the Greek evidence overwhelmingly favors “among yourselves.” The compound adverb ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ appears only here and in 1 Thessalonians 3:10 and 5:13 in the New Testament, confirming Paul’s distinctive style.

From the early church, this verse was read as a mandate for generous support of clergy. John Chrysostom (4th c.) preached that honoring pastors honors Christ himself, echoing Matthew 10:40. In the medieval period, the verse was used to undergird tithes and offerings to priests, often with an emphasis on the material support of clergy. Reformation commentators (Calvin, Luther) redirected attention to the spiritual motive: esteem arises from love for the gospel, not institutional obligation. The Puritan tradition (Matthew Henry, Gill) emphasized the practical outworking, honor that includes financial care, verbal encouragement, and defense against slander. In modern evangelicalism, the verse is frequently cited in sermons on pastor appreciation and church unity, though some traditions (e.g., Anabaptist) stress the horizontal peace command as primary, warning against clerical hierarchy. Across these readings, the common thread remains: the congregation’s treatment of its leaders is a barometer of its spiritual health.

Three-point outline

1. Recognize the work. Leaders are not to be honored for their personality, status, or charisma, but for their labor in the gospel. The word “work” (ergon) is practical: teaching, admonishing, shepherding. This frees both leaders and congregations from the trap of personality cults.
2. Love without limit. The adverb huperekperissou means “exceedingly abundantly.” Paul is not cautious. He urges a love that is not merely polite but affectionate, supportive, and tangible, clothing, food, shelter, encouragement (Clarke).
3. Cultivate peace. Esteeming leaders and living at peace belong together. Disrespect toward leaders breeds division; honor builds unity. The call to peace extends to every member, not just to those in charge.

Five-point outline

1. Know your leaders. Paul begins (5:12) with “know”, recognize, acknowledge, appreciate those who labor among you.
2. Esteem them superabundantly. Not grudging respect, but high, warm regard expressed in action.
3. Love as the context. Esteem must be “in love”, not cold duty but genuine affection from the heart (Gill).
4. Base it on their work. The ground is the gospel labor itself, not the person’s natural gifts or success.
5. Live in peace. This is both the result and the atmosphere of healthy church relationships. Without peace, respect and love wither.

Illustration hooks

• The tired plumber. Think of a plumber who fixes a leak in your home. You don’t just pay the bill; you thank them warmly because their skill saved your house from damage. Their work earns your regard. Church leaders’ work saves something infinitely greater.
• The marathon team. In a long race, there is a pacemaker who runs ahead, sets the pace, and encourages the others. That runner’s role is hard, and the team’s respect for them keeps everyone together. Without that respect, runners break apart.
• The family table. At a family dinner, if one member constantly criticizes the cook, the meal is tense. But when everyone honors the cook’s effort and thanks them, the table is peaceful. Paul calls the church to be that kind of family.

Questions your congregation is asking

• How do I honor a leader I disagree with or who has weaknesses?
• What does “very highly” look like in practical terms, money, time, words?
• Does loving my pastor mean I can’t question them?

This passage sits in a series of short, punchy commands that Paul gives to a young church facing persecution and internal strain. The heart of it is simple: respect your leaders because of their gospel labor, and keep the peace. But these two commands are tied together. How does honoring leaders affect the atmosphere of the whole church? Work through these questions together.

Discussion questions

1. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13. What words does Paul use to describe the leaders’ activities? (labor, preside, admonish) Why does he list these before the command to esteem them?
2. The Greek word for “esteem” (hēgeomai) originally meant “to lead” and came to mean “to think, to consider, to value.” How does that background shape your understanding of what Paul asks?
3. Paul says esteem leaders “very highly”, using a compound word that means “superabundantly.” What might that look like in a congregation that is struggling or poor?
4. Why does Paul specify “for their work’s sake” rather than “for their person’s sake” or “for their office’s sake”? What difference does that make for both leader and congregation?
5. Look at the surrounding verses (5:14-15). How do those commands (admonish the unruly, encourage the faint-hearted, etc.) relate to the call to “be at peace among yourselves”?
6. What makes it hard to “be at peace” in your church or small group? What practical step could you take this week to foster peace?
7. Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). How does esteeming leaders serve as a tangible expression of that love to outsiders?