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1 Peter 4

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Cease from Sin Through Suffering 1–6

1
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; ​
2
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: ​
4
Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: ​
5
Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
6
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. ​

Practical Duties in Light of the End 7–11

7
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. ​
8
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. ​
9
Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
10
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ​
11
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ​

Enduring Persecution and Divine Judgment 12–19

12
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: ​
13
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. ​
14
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. ​
15
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. ​
16
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? ​
18
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? ​
19
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Peter 4

Verse 1

arm yourselves likewise with the same mind — Hoplizo, to arm, occurs only here in the New Testament; 'mind' is ennoia, a purpose or thought, elsewhere only 'intents' in Heb 4:12. The weapon is Christ's own mind, who 'suffered for us in the flesh'. 'Ceased from sin' (pauo) is the thought of Rom 6:7, 'he that is dead is freed from sin'.

Verse 3

may suffice us — Arketos, enough, found elsewhere only in Matt 6:34 and 10:25. Peter lists what filled 'the time past': lasciviousness, lusts, 'excess of wine', revellings, banquetings, and 'abominable idolatries' (athemitos, unlawful; 'unlawful thing' in Acts 10:28). It was 'the will of the Gentiles' that was then being worked.

Verse 4

think it strange — Xenizo, to treat as foreign, from xenos, stranger; the same verb opens v.12. To 'run' (syntrecho) with them is to join the 'excess of riot' (anachusis, a pouring out, found only here; asotia is dissoluteness). 'Speaking evil' is blasphemeo, the verb of v.14, 'on their part he is evil spoken of'.

Verse 6

preached also to them that are dead — Euangelizo, to announce good news. 'The dead' are those now dead, matching 'the quick and the dead' of v.5, and are commonly read as believers who heard the gospel in life; some link it with 3:19. The contrast 'in the flesh… in the spirit' is that of 3:18, 'put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit'.

Verse 7

the end of all things is at hand — Engizo, to draw near, as in Jas 5:8, 'the coming of the Lord draweth nigh'. Two commands follow: 'be sober' (sophroneo, to be of sound mind) and 'watch' (nepho, to be clear-headed, the word of 1:13 and 5:8), both 'unto prayer' (proseuche).

Verse 8

fervent charity — Ektenes, stretched out, intense; elsewhere only in Acts 12:5, where prayer was made 'without ceasing' for Peter. 'Charity' is agape, love. 'Cover' (kalupto) is the verb of Jas 5:20, 'shall hide a multitude of sins', and the thought is that of Prov 10:12, 'love covereth all sins'.

Verse 10

good stewards — Oikonomos, a household manager, as in 1 Cor 4:2, 'it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful'. 'Gift' is charisma, from charis, grace. 'Manifold' (poikilos, many-coloured) is the word of 1:6, 'manifold temptations': one grace in many forms answers many trials. 'Minister' is diakoneo.

Verse 11

the oracles of God — Logion, a divine utterance, found only four times: Acts 7:38, Rom 3:2, Heb 5:12 and here. Two kinds of gift are named, speaking and ministering, the second 'as of the ability which God giveth' (ischus, strength). 'Praise' is doxa, glory; 'dominion' (kratos) recurs in 5:11, 'To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.'

Verse 12

the fiery trial — Pyrosis, a burning; elsewhere only Rev 18:9, 18. The figure is the refining of 1:7, 'tried with fire'. 'Think it not strange' uses xenizo as in v.4, and 'strange thing' is xenos; the trial is not something foreign to the believer.

Verse 13

partakers of Christ's sufferings — Koinoneo, to share, the fellowship of Phil 3:10, 'the fellowship of his sufferings'. Peter calls himself 'a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed' (5:1). 'Exceeding joy' is agalliao, exultation, the word of 1:6 and 1:8, where it is joy at the same unseen Christ.

Verse 14

the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you — The language recalls Isa 11:2, 'the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him'. 'Reproached' is oneidizo, to revile, and 'happy' is makarios, the 'Blessed' of Matt 5:11, 'when men shall revile you… for my sake'. The name borne is Christ's.

Verse 15

a busybody in other men's matters — Allotriepiskopos, one who oversees what belongs to others; found only here. It stands with murderer, thief and evildoer, and is set against suffering 'as a Christian' in v.16, the name first used at Antioch (Acts 11:26) and spoken by Agrippa (Acts 26:28).

Verse 17

judgment must begin at the house of God — The order is that of Ezek 9:6, 'begin at my sanctuary', and Jer 25:29, 'I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name'. The 'house' (oikos) is the believers, the 'spiritual house' of 2:5. 'The end' (telos) of those who obey not the gospel is left as a question.

Verse 18

scarcely be saved — Molis, with difficulty; the thought is that of Prov 11:31, 'the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner'. 'Ungodly' (asebes) and 'sinner' (hamartolos) are Proverbs' pair. Luke 23:31 asks the same kind of question, 'if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?'

Verse 19

commit the keeping of their souls — Paratithemi, to place with another for safekeeping, the verb of Luke 23:46, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit', which takes up Ps 31:5. 'Creator' (ktistes) is found only here in the New Testament; the soul is deposited with the one who made it, 'a faithful Creator', 'in well doing'.