I Thessalonians 5:20

A common misinterpretation is to use this verse to advocate for blindly accepting all modern claims of prophecy without discernment, ignoring the immediate command to 'prove all things' and the biblical standard for testing prophecies against Scripture, apostolic teaching, and fruitfulness, which has led to excesses in some charismatic circles; another error is to dismiss the verse entirely today by claiming the gift of prophecy ceased with the apostles, thereby quenching the Spirit's ongoing work of forth-telling God's truth through believers, contrary to the New Testament's expectation of such gifts operating until Christ's return.

This verse urges believers not to despise or reject prophetic messages, emphasizing the importance of valuing the Holy Spirit's gifts of prophecy within the church as a means of edification, exhortation, and comfort, while the surrounding context in verses 19-21 instructs to neither quench the Spirit nor accept prophecies uncritically, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good, promoting a balanced approach of openness to God's voice coupled with discernment.