Living for God

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) 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. 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) They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.(F) But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.(G) 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.

The end of all things is near.(I) Therefore be alert and of sober mind(J) so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply,(K) because love covers over a multitude of sins.(L) 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)

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Good Stewards of God’s Grace

Since, therefore, Christ suffered in the flesh,[a] arm yourselves also with the same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin),(A) so as to live for the rest of your time in the flesh no longer by human desires but by the will of God.(B) You have already spent enough time in doing what the gentiles like to do, living in debauchery, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry.(C) They are surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of dissipation, and so they blaspheme.[b](D) But they will have to give an accounting to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.(E) For this is the reason the gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does.

The end of all things is near;[c] therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers.(F) Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.(G) Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.(H) 11 Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.1 Other ancient authorities add for us or for you
  2. 4.4 Or they malign you
  3. 4.7 Or is at hand

Living for God

So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.[a] You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.

Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead. That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead[b]—so although they were destined to die like all people,[c] they now live forever with God in the Spirit.[d]

The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:1 Or For the one [or One] who has suffered physically has finished with sin.
  2. 4:6a Greek preached even to the dead.
  3. 4:6b Or so although people had judged them worthy of death.
  4. 4:6c Or in spirit.

So, since Christ suffered[a] in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin,[b] in that he spends the rest of his time[c] on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires. For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians[d] desire.[e] You lived then[f] in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts,[g] and wanton idolatries.[h] So[i] they are astonished[j] when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you.[k] They will face a reckoning before[l] Jesus Christ[m] who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. Now it was for this very purpose[n] that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead,[o] so that though[p] they were judged in the flesh[q] by human standards[r] they may live spiritually[s] by God’s standards.[t]

Service, Suffering, and Judgment

For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer.[u] Above all keep[v] your love for one another fervent,[w] because love covers a multitude of sins.[x] Show hospitality[y] to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another[z] as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, let it be with[aa] God’s words.[ab] Whoever serves, do so with the strength[ac] that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong[ad] the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 4:1 tc Most mss (א2 A P 5 33 81 436 442 1175 1611 1852 M) add ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν (huper hēmōn, “for us”); others (א* 69 1505 syp) add ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν (huper humōn, “for you”), the first hand of א also has ἀποθανόντος (apothanontos, “since he died”) instead of παθόντος (pathontos, “since he suffered”). But the reading without ὑπὲρ ἡ/ὑμῶν best explains the rise of the other readings, for not only is there confusion as to which pronoun belongs here, but the longer readings, being clarifications, are evidently scribally motivated. The shortest reading is found in significant and early witnesses (P72 B C Ψ 323 1243 1739 sa) and is strongly preferred.
  2. 1 Peter 4:1 sn Has finished with sin. The last sentence in v. 1 may refer to Christ as the one who suffered in the flesh (cf. 2:21, 23; 3:18; 4:1a) and the latter part would then mean, “he has finished dealing with sin.” But it is more likely that it refers to the Christian who suffers unjustly (cf. 2:19-20; 3:14, 17). This shows that he has made a break with sin as vs. 2 describes.
  3. 1 Peter 4:2 tn This verse may give the purpose or result of their “arming” themselves as called for in v. 1b and then the translation would be: “so that you may spend the rest of your time…” But it is better to take it as explanatory of the last phrase in v. 1: what it means to be finished with sin.
  4. 1 Peter 4:3 tn Grk “the Gentiles,” used here of those who are not God’s people.
  5. 1 Peter 4:3 tn Grk “to accomplish the desire of the Gentiles.”
  6. 1 Peter 4:3 tn Grk “having gone along,” referring to the readers’ behavior in time past.
  7. 1 Peter 4:3 tn According to BDAG 857 s.v. πότος the term refers to a social gathering at which wine is served, hence “drinking parties” (cf. TEV, NASB). However, the collocation with the other terms in v. 4 suggests something less sophisticated and more along the lines of wild and frenzied drinking bouts.
  8. 1 Peter 4:3 tn The Greek words here all occur in the plural to describe their common practice in the past.
  9. 1 Peter 4:4 tn Grk “in/by which,” referring to the change of behavior described in v. 3. The unbelievers are astonished by the readers’ moral transformation. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  10. 1 Peter 4:4 tn Or “are surprised, are taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:12.
  11. 1 Peter 4:4 tn Grk “blaspheming,” giving the result of their astonishment. Here the target of their “blasphemy/vilification” is not God but the Christian.
  12. 1 Peter 4:5 tn Grk “give an account to.”
  13. 1 Peter 4:5 tn Grk “the one”; the referent (Jesus Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  14. 1 Peter 4:6 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.
  15. 1 Peter 4:6 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)?
  16. 1 Peter 4:6 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.
  17. 1 Peter 4:6 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.
  18. 1 Peter 4:6 tn Grk “according to men.”
  19. 1 Peter 4:6 tn Grk “in spirit,” referring to the heavenly, eternal realm of existence (cf. 3:18).
  20. 1 Peter 4:6 tn Grk “according to God.”
  21. 1 Peter 4:7 tn Grk “for prayers.”
  22. 1 Peter 4:8 tn The primary verb of v. 8 is a participle (“having”) but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.
  23. 1 Peter 4:8 tn Or “constant.”
  24. 1 Peter 4:8 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).
  25. 1 Peter 4:9 tn There is no main verb in this verse (“showing hospitality” translates the adjective φιλόξενοι [philoxenoi]), but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.
  26. 1 Peter 4:10 tn Grk “serving it to one another.” The primary verb is a participle but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.
  27. 1 Peter 4:11 tn Grk “if anyone speaks—as God’s words.”
  28. 1 Peter 4:11 tn Or “oracles.”
  29. 1 Peter 4:11 tn Grk “if anyone serves—with strength…”
  30. 1 Peter 4:11 tn Grk “is/are.”