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:KJV wrote:Abstain from all appearance 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.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.”
As Vincent's Word Studies puts it:
This is reflected in most good translations.Vincent's Word Studies wrote:Moreover, it is impossible to abstain from everything that looks like evil.
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.