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1 Peter 4

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Cease from Sin Through Suffering 1–6

1
Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; ​
2
that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3
For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: ​
4
wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: ​
5
who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead.
6
For unto this end was the gospel preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. ​

Practical Duties in Light of the End 7–11

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But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer: ​
8
above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins: ​
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using hospitality one to another without murmuring:
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according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God; ​
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if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ​

Enduring Persecution and Divine Judgment 12–19

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Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: ​
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but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. ​
14
If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. ​
15
For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men’s matters: ​
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but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name.
17
For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? ​
18
And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? ​
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Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · 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'.