1 Peter 4:12-16

4:12 Dear friends, do not be astonished¹ that a trial by fire is occurring among you,² as though something strange were happening to you. 4:13 But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed³ you may also rejoice and be glad.⁴ 4:14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory,⁵ who is the Spirit of God,⁶ rests⁷ on you. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker.⁸ 4:16 But if you suffer as a Christian,⁹ do not be ashamed, but glorify¹⁰ God that you bear such a name.¹¹

¹tn Or “do not be surprised, taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:4.

²tn Grk “at the burning among you, occurring to you for testing.”

³tn Grk “in the revelation of his glory.”

⁴tn The verb “be glad” is used also in 1:6 and 1:8. The verbs of v. 13b are used together in Matt 5:12 and Rev 19:7.

⁵tc Many mss, some of them important and early ([א] A P 33 81 323 945 1241 1739 pm bo), add καὶ δυνάμεως (kai dunamew"; “and of power”) here. The shorter reading is supported by Ì⁷² B K L Ψ 049 pm). Although the evidence is evenly divided, the longer reading looks to be an explanatory or liturgical expansion on the text and for this reason should be considered secondary.

⁶tn Grk “the Spirit of glory and of God.”

⁷sn A quotation taken from Isa 11:2.

⁸tn The meaning of the Greek word used here is uncertain. It may mean “spy, informer,” “revolutionary,” or “defrauder, embezzler.” But the most likely meaning is “busybody, one who meddles in the affairs of others, troublesome meddler.” The translation given in the text is intended to suggest this general idea.

⁹tn The verb is implied by the context but not expressed; Grk “but if as a Christian.”

¹⁰tn These are third-person imperatives in Greek (“if [one of you suffers] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed…let him glorify”), but have been translated as second-person verbs since this is smoother English idiom.

¹¹tn Grk “in this name.”