• 1 Thessalonians 4:16
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 16 ὅτι because αὐτὸς very (one) ὁ the κύριος Lord ἐν in κελεύσματι, command, ἐν in φωνῇ voice ἀρχαγγέλου of archangel καὶ and ἐν in σάλπιγγι trumpet θεοῦ, of God, καταβήσεται he will come down ἀπ’ from οὐρανοῦ, heaven, καὶ and οἱ the νεκροὶ dead (ones) ἐν in Χριστῷ Christ ἀναστήσονται will stand up πρῶτον, first,

  • 1 Thessalonians Study Notes—Chapter 4
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 4:16

      the Lord: That is, Jesus Christ.

      will descend from heaven: The Lord Jesus will descend in a figurative way by turning his attention to the earth and extending his power to it. In the Hebrew Scriptures, such terms as “go down” and “stoops down” are used in a similar way. (Ge 11:5; 18:21; Ps 113:6) For example, Ge 11:5 says that “Jehovah went down to see the city” of Babel. He did so to survey the situation in Babel and determine what action to take.

      a commanding call: Or “a shout of command.” The Greek word used here occurs only once in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It could refer to an order given to an army to attack or to a command issued by a king. The Lord Jesus figuratively descends from heaven to make this commanding call to awaken from the sleep of death those who are dead in union with Christ, that is, his spirit-anointed followers. The Scriptures show elsewhere that it is Jesus’ “voice” that the dead will hear (Joh 5:25) and that “in the Christ all will be made alive” (1Co 15:22).​—See study note on 1Co 15:55.

      with an archangel’s voice: The Greek term for “archangel” (ar·khagʹge·los) appears only twice in the Christian Greek Scriptures and always in the singular. The Greek prefix rendered “arch” means “chief” or “principal”; therefore, “archangel” means “chief angel,” or “principal angel.” The second occurrence of “archangel,” at Jude 9, associates the term with the name Michael. Hence, in the Scriptures, Michael is the only one called “the archangel.” He is the one whom God has designated chief, or head, of the angelic hosts. At 1Th 4:16, the Lord Jesus is said to have the “voice” of an archangel and the power to resurrect the dead. (See study note on Joh 11:25.) So the expression “an archangel’s voice” apparently focuses attention on the authoritativeness of Jesus’ voice of command.​—Joh 5:26-29.

      with God’s trumpet: Trumpets had various uses in the Scriptures. (See Glossary, “Trumpet.”) Here the purpose of the sounding of “God’s trumpet” is to assemble Jehovah’s people, as was done when the two silver trumpets were sounded in Moses’ day to assemble the 12 tribes of Israel. (Nu 10:1-10) At 1Co 15:52, the apostle Paul connects such a rousing assembly “trumpet” with the resurrection of spirit-anointed Christians.