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1 Peter 4
Common English Bible
1 Peter 4
Common English Bible
4 Therefore, since Christ suffered as a human, you should also arm yourselves with his way of thinking. This is because whoever suffers is finished with sin. 2 As a result, they don’t live the rest of their human lives in ways determined by human desires but in ways determined by God’s will. 3 You have wasted enough time doing what unbelievers desire—living in their unrestrained immorality and lust, their drunkenness and excessive feasting and wild parties, and their forbidden worship of idols. 4 They think it’s strange that you don’t join in these activities with the same flood of unrestrained wickedness. So they slander you. 5 They will have to reckon with the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 Indeed, this is the reason the good news was also preached to the dead. This happened so that, although they were judged as humans according to human standards, they could live by the Spirit according to divine standards.
7 The end of everything has come. Therefore, be self-controlled and clearheaded so you can pray. 8 Above all, show sincere love to each other, because love brings about the forgiveness of many sins. 9 Open your homes to each other without complaining. 10 And serve each other according to the gift each person has received, as good managers of God’s diverse gifts. 11 Whoever speaks should do so as those who speak God’s word. Whoever serves should do so from the strength that God furnishes. Do this so that in everything God may be honored through Jesus Christ. To him be honor and power forever and always. Amen.
Stand firm in the last times
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised about the fiery trials that have come among you to test you. These are not strange happenings. 13 Instead, rejoice as you share Christ’s suffering. You share his suffering now so that you may also have overwhelming joy when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are mocked because of Christ’s name, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory—indeed, the Spirit of God—rests on you.
15 Now none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or evildoer or rebel. 16 But don’t be ashamed if you suffer as one who belongs to Christ. Rather, honor God as you bear Christ’s name. Give honor to God, 17 because it’s time for judgment to begin with God’s own household. But if judgment starts with us, what will happen to those who refuse to believe God’s good news? 18 If the righteous are barely rescued, what will happen to the godless and sinful? 19 So then, those who suffer because they follow God’s will should commit their lives to a trustworthy creator by doing what is right.
1 Peter 4
New International Version
1 Peter 4
New International Version
Living for God
4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body,(A) arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.(B) 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires,(C) but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past(D) doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.(E) 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.(F) 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.(G) 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead,(H) so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
7 The end of all things is near.(I) Therefore be alert and of sober mind(J) so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply,(K) because love covers over a multitude of sins.(L) 9 Offer hospitality(M) to one another without grumbling.(N) 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,(O) as faithful(P) stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.(Q) If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides,(R) so that in all things God may be praised(S) through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.(T)
Suffering for Being a Christian
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you(U) to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice(V) inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ,(W) so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.(X) 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ,(Y) you are blessed,(Z) for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.(AA) 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household;(AB) and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?(AC) 18 And,
“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”[a](AD)
19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will(AE) should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 4:18 Prov. 11:31 (see Septuagint)
1 Peter 4
EasyEnglish Bible
1 Peter 4
EasyEnglish Bible
4 Christ had trouble and pain while he lived in his human body. So you should prepare yourselves to have trouble and pain too. Think about it in the same way that Christ did. If someone has trouble and pain in his body, he stops doing wrong things. 2 As a result, that person will want to do what God wants him to do. In his life in this world, he will not want to do the bad things that people think are good.
3 You have already had enough time in your life to do bad things. Those are the kinds of things that people who do not know God like to do. You did many evil things that your bodies wanted to do. You had sex in a wrong way. You often became drunk. You went to wild parties where you drank too much alcohol. You also worshipped useless idols.[a]
4 But now you no longer live in the same wicked way as those people do. They continue to enjoy those wrong things all the time. But you do not join with them. So they insult you. 5 But those people will have to explain to God what they have done. He is ready to judge every person, whether they are alive now or they have already died. 6 That is why even dead people needed to hear the good news about Christ. Their bodies had to die, as all people must die. But they heard the good news so that their spirits could live, as God wants them to live.[b]
We must use God's gifts properly
7 All things in this world will soon come to an end. So you must think clearly. Then you will be able to pray in a serious way. 8 Continue to love each other very much. That is more important than anything else. If you love people, you will forgive them for any wrong things that they have done. 9 Always be happy to have other believers as visitors in your homes.
10 God has helped each of you in a certain way. Think carefully about how to use that gift from God well. Remember that God has given many different gifts to his people so that they can help each other. 11 Has God helped you to speak well? Then speak God's messages to people. Or has God helped you to serve other people? Then let God make you strong to do that. Do everything so that people will praise God. They will say that God is great, because of Jesus Christ. He is the one who has all authority and power for ever. Everyone should praise him! Amen! This is true!
Christians must be ready to have trouble and pain
12 My friends, I know that people are causing you to have bad trouble. It is like a fire that is burning you. Do not be surprised about that. These things are happening to you, to show whether you really trust God. Do not think that something strange is happening to you. 13 Instead, be happy when you have trouble. Remember that Christ also received much trouble and pain. If you have trouble like he did, then you will be happy when he returns. At that time, everyone will see how great Christ really is. Then you will be very happy with a great joy. 14 People may insult you because you belong to Christ. But God will bless you when that happens. It shows that the Holy Spirit is with you. He is God's great Spirit.
15 Do not murder anyone. Do not rob anyone. Do not do evil things. Do not try to cause trouble for other people. If you do those things, you deserve to have trouble. 16 But if you receive trouble because you are a Christian, do not be ashamed about that. Instead, you should praise God that you belong to Christ.
17 The time has come when God will start to judge people. He will first judge the people who belong to him. If he will start with his own people, what will happen to other people? They have refused to obey God's good news, so it will surely be very bad for them. 18 The Bible says:
‘When God saves righteous people, that is a difficult thing.
It will surely be much worse for people who turn away from God and who do bad things.’[c]
19 So remember this. If you receive trouble because that is what God wants, you should continue to trust him. God made you and he always does what he has promised. So you should continue to do what is good.
Footnotes
- 4:3 There is only one true God. He is the only one that we should worship.
- 4:6 The ‘dead people’ may mean all the believers who had died during the time that the New Testament describes. Or, the ‘dead people’ may mean all the people who died before Christ came to live on earth. They had no chance to hear the good news about Christ while they lived on earth. So this may mean that Christ went to tell them about what he had done on their behalf. Then they had the chance to believe in him, as we do.
- 4:18 See Proverbs 11:31.
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EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)
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