Regarding the phrase
"caught up [G726-verb] TOGETHER [adverb] WITH them" (
or, "together with them shall be caught up"),
... notice what this Lexicon tells us about grammar:
"
In 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and
1 Thessalonians 5:10,
where ἅμα [together] is followed by σύν [with],
ἅμα [together] is an adverb ([
meaning / defined as]
at the same time)
and must be joined to the verb."
-- [taken from BlueLetterBible, under the heading Thayer's -
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g260/kjv/tr/0-1/ ; bold, and inserted brackets, and underline mine]
This means that, the "[we which are alive and remain unto... (portion of the One Body)] "together with [
at the same time] them shall be caught up"...
...and this is why the dead in Christ are going to
"rise first" (that is,
be bodily resurrected [defined as '
to stand again'] up from their graves--no bones or anything left of them in the graveyards or wherever--that is, "
bodily resurrected" just like Jesus had been),
and we shall
all be
"changed" (i.e. given
a glorified / perfected body--
"like unto His glorious body" Phil3:21 -
https://www.blueletterbible.org/sea...+unto+his+glorious+body&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1 )
before we are [all of us (of the ONE Body)
TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME]
"caught up [/snatched away]"... "
TO the meeting of the Lord
IN THE AIR";
This is what the passage is conveying.
Yes, "the dead in Christ" are presently "at home with the Lord" ("absent from the body"); but the
1Th4:17 passage is speaking of what will take place when their
BODIES will be resurrected ['to stand again']... which is what the phrase "shall
RISE first" (
before the "caught up" aspect) speaks to.
Here are the English words that the Translators used to translate the Greek word
harpazo; and, as you can see, it sure isn't any "Rapture" that you want to be in:
John 6:15
15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. KJV
John 10:12
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. KJV
John 10:28
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. KJV
John 10:29
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. KJV
Greek word #726 harpazo (har-pad'-zo); from a derivative of NT:138; to sieze (in various applications): KJV - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Below is every occurrence in the King James Bible of the English term "caught up":
2 Corinthians 12:2
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth
such an one caught up to the third heaven. KJV
2 Corinthians 12:4
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. KJV
1 Thessalonians 4:17
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. KJV
Revelation 12:5
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught upunto God, and to his throne. KJV
caught up: Greek word #726 harpazo (har-pad'-zo); from a derivative of NT:138; to sieze (in various applications): KJV - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Now, that is only a list of the English term "caught up" in the Bible; however, that term is the translation of the Greek word
harpazo, which
was not always translated to the simple two English words "caught up," Therefore, a complete listing of the usage of this underlying Greek word, we must use an
Englishman's Concordance. Thus, with that reference volume we see the below complete list. Below is every occurrence of the Greek word
harpazo in the Greek manuscript underlying the King James Bible (the
Textus Receptus). The English words used to translate that Greek word "
harpazo" into the English of the King James are listed below.
Matthew 11:12
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violenttake it by force. KJV
Matthew 13:19
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, andcatcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. KJV
John 6:15
15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. KJV
John 10:12
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. KJV
John 10:28
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. KJV
John 10:29
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. KJV
Acts 8:39
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. KJV
Acts 23:10
10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. KJV
2 Corinthians 12:2
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth
such an one caught up to the third heaven. KJV
2 Corinthians 12:4
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. KJV
1 Thessalonians 4:17
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. KJV
Jude 23
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. KJV
Revelation 12:5
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught upunto God, and to his throne. KJV