1 Peter 4:6-19

4:6 Now it was for this very purpose ¹  that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, ²  so that though ³  they were judged in the flesh ⁴  by human standards ⁵  they may live spiritually ⁶  by God’s standards. ⁷ 

Service, Suffering, and Judgment

4:7 For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. ⁸  4:8 Above all keep ⁹  your love for one another fervent, ¹⁰  because love covers a multitude of sins. ¹¹  4:9 Show hospitality ¹²  to one another without complaining. 4:10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another ¹³  as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 4:11 Whoever speaks, let it be with ¹⁴  God’s words. ¹⁵  Whoever serves, do so with the strength ¹⁶  that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong ¹⁷  the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

4:12 Dear friends, do not be astonished ¹⁸  that a trial by fire is occurring among you, ¹⁹  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 revealed ²⁰  you may also rejoice and be glad. ²¹  4:14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, ²²  who is the Spirit of God, ²³  rests ²⁴  on you. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. ²⁵  4:16 But if you suffer as a Christian, ²⁶  do not be ashamed, but glorify ²⁷  God that you bear such a name. ²⁸  4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house ²⁹  of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate ³⁰  of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? 4:18 And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of ³¹  the ungodly and sinners? ³²  4:19 So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good. ³³ 

[4:6]  ¹ tn Grk “since for this purpose the gospel was preached even to the dead,” referring to the purpose described in the clause to follow in v. 6b.

[4:6]  ² sn In context the phrase those who are dead refers to those now dead who had accepted the gospel while they were still living and had suffered persecution for their faith. Though they “suffered judgment” in this earthly life (i.e., they died, in the midst of physical abuse from the ungodly), they will enjoy life from God in the spiritual, heavenly realm because of the gospel (v. 6b). It clearly does not assume a second chance for conversion offered to unbelievers who had died; why would Peter urge people to suffer in this life for the sake of the gospel if he believed that mercy would be extended to all the dead in the hereafter (cf. 2:7-8; 4:1-5, 12-19)?

[4:6]  ³ tn Grk “so that they may be judged…but may live.” Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.

[4:6]  ⁴ tn Or “in their earthly lives,” since “flesh” here denotes the physical, earthly life. The phrase “in the flesh” is retained to preserve the links with 3:18 and 4:1 which use the same wording.

[4:6]  ⁵ tn Grk “according to men.”

[4:6]  ⁶ tn Grk “in spirit,” referring to the heavenly, eternal realm of existence (cf. 3:18).

[4:6]  ⁷ tn Grk “according to God.”

[4:7]  ⁸ tn Grk “for prayers.”

[4:8]  ⁹ tn The primary verb of v. 8 is a participle (“having”) but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.

[4:8]  ¹⁰ tn Or “constant.”

[4:8]  ¹¹ sn The statement of v. 8b, love covers a multitude of sins, is proverbial: It is quoted from Prov 10:12 (cf. Jas 5:20). It speaks of the forbearance that comes with love: Christian love is patient and forgiving toward the offenses of a fellow Christian (Matt 18:21-22; 1 Cor 13:4-7).

[4:9]  ¹² tn There is no main verb in this verse (“showing hospitality” translates the adjective φιλόξενοι [filoxenoi]), but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.

[4:10]  ¹³ tn Grk “serving it to one another.” The primary verb is a participle but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.

[4:11]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “if anyone speaks – as God’s words.”

[4:11]  ¹⁵ tn Or “oracles.”

[4:11]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “if anyone serves – with strength…”

[4:11]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “is/are.”

[4:12]  ¹⁸ tn Or “do not be surprised, taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:4.

[4:12]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “at the burning among you, occurring to you for testing.”

[4:13]  ²⁰ tn Grk “in the revelation of his glory.”

[4:13]  ²¹ tn 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.

[4:14]  ²² tc 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.

[4:14]  ²³ tn Grk “the Spirit of glory and of God.”

[4:14]  ²⁴ sn A quotation taken from Isa 11:2.

[4:15]  ²⁵ tn 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.

[4:16]  ²⁶ tn The verb is implied by the context but not expressed; Grk “but if as a Christian.”

[4:16]  ²⁷ tn 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.

[4:16]  ²⁸ tn Grk “in this name.”

[4:17]  ²⁹ tn Grk “to begin from the house.”

[4:17]  ³⁰ tn Or “the end.”

[4:18]  ³¹ tn Grk “where will he appear.”

[4:18]  ³² tn The personal references in v. 18 are generic singulars, but they have been changed to the plural in English to maintain consistency with the plurals of v. 17.

[4:19]  ³³ tn Grk “in doing good.”