But we don't want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don't grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
concerning them which are asleep: The word cemetery (meaning a place of sleep) is derived from the word here translated "asleep." The metaphor of death being like sleep is not a uniquely Christian usage, being found in many cultures. Yet, it acquires a new emphasis among Christians inasmuch as death has been transformed. It is no longer an enemy to be feared but a friend to be welcomed. It is not a terminus but a new beginning. There is no hint that the dead are annihilated or that they cease to exist. As a sleeper awakens with the coming of a new day, even so the dead will experience resurrection at the coming of the Lord. It should be noted that this passage offers no support for the belief that the soul sleeps. It is the body, not the soul, which is under consideration here.