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The King James Bible is rather lonely in its translation of 1 Thessalonians 5:22.

KJV wrote:Abstain from all appearance of evil.

I think most translations are correct on this - it's not about keeping up appearances, it's about not doing what is evil. As Cambridge puts it:

Cambridge Greek Testament wrote:The Apostle does not advise the Thessalonians to avoid what looks like evil; the command thus understood encourages the studying of appearances, and tends to the “doing of our works to be seen of men” which our Lord condemns (Matthew 23:5). But in completing on the negative side the previous command, “hold fast the good (in prophesyings),” he gives to it the widest possible extension: “Keep yourselves not only from this, but from every sort of evil.”

After all, Jesus looked evil to the Pharisees on a regular basis. And Paul looked evil to the Judaizers on a regular basis. That cannot be the New Testament standard.

As Vincent's Word Studies puts it:

Vincent's Word Studies wrote:Moreover, it is impossible to abstain from everything that looks like evil.

This is reflected in most good translations.

New Living Translation
Stay away from every kind of evil.

English Standard Version
Abstain from every form of evil.

Berean Study Bible
Abstain from every form of evil.

Berean Literal Bible
Abstain from every form of evil.

New International Version
reject every kind of evil.

New American Standard Bible
abstain from every form of evil.

Christian Standard Bible
Stay away from every kind of evil.

Contemporary English Version
and don't have anything to do with evil.

Good News Translation
and avoid every kind of evil.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Stay away from every kind of evil.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Keep away from every kind of evil.

New American Standard 1977
abstain from every form of evil.

Interesting. Thanks.

I think those of us who read the KJV understand it to mean what the translations you quote are saying. it may be possible to give it a broader meaning but that isn't necessary.

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In other words avoid doing things that come across as being motivated by evil. Which is basically what I think I said.

lesterb wrote:In other words avoid doing things that come across as being motivated by evil. Which is basically what I think I said.

Come across to whom? And with that approach, how do you avoid becoming eye-servants?

I'm not convinced that's what the text actually says. And that approach is so incredibly elastic - if I feel like it's motivated by evil, then what you are doing is wrong.

I think we should use biblical standards for what is evil. And if Jesus and Paul are any guide, that might upset a lot of fine religious people.

Bootstrap wrote:

lesterb wrote:In other words avoid doing things that come across as being motivated by evil. Which is basically what I think I said.

Come across to whom? And with that approach, how do you avoid becoming eye-servants?

I'm not convinced that's what the text actually says. And that approach is so incredibly elastic - if I feel like it's motivated by evil, then what you are doing is wrong.

I think we should use biblical standards for what is evil. And if Jesus and Paul are any guide, that might upset a lot of fine religious people.

The Bible is built on principles. Much of what it says needs to be interpreted. That is one of the reasons for the existence of a community or brotherhood.

lesterb wrote:

Bootstrap wrote:Come across to whom? And with that approach, how do you avoid becoming eye-servants?

I'm not convinced that's what the text actually says. And that approach is so incredibly elastic - if I feel like it's motivated by evil, then what you are doing is wrong.

I think we should use biblical standards for what is evil. And if Jesus and Paul are any guide, that might upset a lot of fine religious people.

The Bible is built on principles. Much of what it says needs to be interpreted. That is one of the reasons for the existence of a community or brotherhood.

I think that's a very biblical answer. The body needs to discern good from evil together.

I just think that too much emphasis on "how it might appear" can make it hard to be willing to do the things that Jesus and Paul did, things that require us to look bad in the eyes of some. Including some fine religious people. And I think the way some people interpret this verse doesn't help.

Are we saying it's evil as defined by the subjectivity of man's eye?
We should be talking about evil in the sight of God, in my opinion.

KingdomBuilder wrote:Are we saying it's evil as defined by the subjectivity of man's eye?
We should be talking about evil in the sight of God, in my opinion.

But in context that doesn’t make sense. HUMANS are the ones who have to struggle with APPEARANCE of evil. God sees what is, not what appears.