must know
The Greek word "εἰδέναι" (eidenai) is used here, which means "to know" or "to understand." This implies a deep, experiential knowledge rather than mere intellectual assent. In the context of the early church, this knowledge would have been imparted through apostolic teaching and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the importance of discipleship and spiritual maturity.

how to control
The phrase "κτᾶσθαι" (ktasthai) is translated as "to control" or "to possess." This suggests mastery and self-discipline, which were highly valued virtues in both Jewish and Greco-Roman cultures. The call to control oneself is a call to live counter-culturally, especially in a society where moral laxity was prevalent.

his own body
The Greek term "σῶμα" (soma) refers to the physical body. In the context of 1 Thessalonians, Paul is addressing issues of sexual purity, a significant concern in a culture rife with sexual immorality. The body is seen as a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), and thus, believers are called to honor God with their bodies.

in holiness
"ἁγιασμῷ" (hagiasmō) is the Greek word for "holiness" or "sanctification." This term denotes being set apart for God's purposes. Holiness is a central theme in Pauline theology, reflecting God's nature and the believer's call to live a life that mirrors His purity and righteousness.

and honor
The word "τιμῇ" (timē) translates to "honor" or "respect." In the ancient world, honor was a crucial social value, often associated with one's reputation and standing in the community. For Christians, honor is redefined as living in a way that brings glory to God and reflects His character, rather than seeking the approval of men.

To possess his vessel.--The word rendered "to possess" should rather be translated, to procure, win, gain possession of. The word "vessel" here has been interpreted in two ways: (1) "his wife;" (2) "his body." In favour of (1) it is argued that (while "gaining possession of one's own body" is unintelligible), "acquiring a wife of one's own" is an ordinary Greek expression; that in this context, "a vessel," or "instrument," is an expressive and natural metaphor; that the word was familiar to Hebrew speakers in that sense (e.g., Ahasuerus says of Vashti, in one of the Targums, "My vessel which I use is neither Median nor Persian, but Chaldee"); that St. Peter (1Peter 3:7) uses the word of the wife. But it may be answered that this interpretation does not suit our context; first, because it would be laying an emphatic and binding veto upon celibacy, if "each one" is "to acquire a wife of his own;" secondly, because of the verb "to know," it certainly being no part of a religious man's duty "to know how to procure a wife;" thirdly, because the Greek cannot be translated "a vessel (or wife) of his own," but "his own vessel" (or wife)--literally, the vessel of himself--and to speak of "procuring" the wife who is already one's own seems unmeaning. Furthermore, although the quotations from the Targums are certainly to the point, that from St. Peter distinctly points the other way, inasmuch as the wife is called "the weaker vessel of the two," evidently meaning that the husband is also "a vessel." Thus we are driven to suppose that (2) the "vessel" is the man's own self. This usage also is well supported. In 1Samuel 21:5, it is used in precisely this sense, and in the same context, as well as in 1Peter 3:7. The passages, however, usually quoted in support of this interpretation from 2Corinthians 4:7, Philo, Barnabas, Lucretius, &c, do not seem quite parallel; for there the word signifies a "vessel," in the sense of a receptacle for containing something; here it is rather "an instrument" or "implement "for doing something. Hence it approaches more nearly to the use in such phrases as Acts 9:15, "a vessel of choice," or even (though the Greek word is different) to Romans 6:13. "The vessel of himself" (the "himself" being in the Greek strongly emphasised) means, not "the vessel which is his own," but "the vessel or instrument which consists of himself." Thus the body, which of course is chiefly meant here, is not dissociated from the man's personality, as in the fanciful Platonism of Philo, but almost identified with it: the Incarnation has taught us the true dignity of the body. Thus it becomes easy to understand what is meant by "knowing how to gain possession of" such an instrument as the body with its many faculties, rescuing it from its vile prostitution, and wielding it wisely for its proper uses. So the same Greek verb is used, and mistranslated in our version, in Luke 21:19, "In your patience possess ye your souls." . . .