1 Petrus 3:14-17

3:14 But in fact, if you happen to suffer ¹  for doing what is right, ²  you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them ³  or be shaken. ⁴  3:15 But set Christ ⁵  apart ⁶  as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. ⁷  3:16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, ⁸  keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. ⁹  3:17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, ¹⁰  than for doing evil.

1 Petrus 4:1-4

4:1 So, since Christ suffered ¹¹  in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin, ¹²  4:2 in that he spends the rest of his time ¹³  on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires. 4:3 For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians ¹⁴  desire. ¹⁵  You lived then ¹⁶  in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts, ¹⁷  and wanton idolatries. ¹⁸  4:4 So ¹⁹  they are astonished ²⁰  when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you. ²¹ 

1 Petrus 4:12-19

4:12 Dear friends, do not be astonished ²²  that a trial by fire is occurring among you, ²³  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 ²⁴  you may also rejoice and be glad. ²⁵  4:14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, ²⁶  who is the Spirit of God, ²⁷  rests ²⁸  on you. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. ²⁹  4:16 But if you suffer as a Christian, ³⁰  do not be ashamed, but glorify ³¹  God that you bear such a name. ³²  4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house ³³  of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate ³⁴  of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? 4:18 And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of ³⁵  the ungodly and sinners? ³⁶  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. ³⁷ 

1 Petrus 5:10

5:10 And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ ³⁸  will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ³⁹ 

[3:14]  ¹ sn The Greek construction here implies that such suffering was not the norm, even though it could happen, and in fact may well have happened to some of the readers (cf. 4:4, 12-19).

[3:14]  ² tn Grk “because of righteousness.”

[3:14]  ³ tn Grk “do not fear their fear,” referring to those who cause their suffering. The phrase “their fear” may mean “what they fear” (subjective genitive), but in a situation of persecution it more likely means “fear of them” (objective genitive).

[3:14]  ⁴ sn A quotation from Isa 8:12.

[3:15]  ⁵ tc Most later mss (P Ï) have θεόν (qeon, “God”) instead of Χριστόν (Criston; “Christ”) here. But Χριστόν is widely supported by excellent and early witnesses (Ì⁷² א A B C Ψ 33 1739 al latt sy co), and as a less common idiom better explains the rise of the other reading.

[3:15]  ⁶ tn Or “sanctify Christ as Lord.”

[3:15]  ⁷ tn Grk “the hope in you.”

[3:16]  ⁸ tn Grk “but with courtesy and respect,” continuing the command of v. 15. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[3:16]  ⁹ tn Grk “when you are spoken against.”

[3:17]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “if the will of God should will it.” As in 3:14 the Greek construction here implies that suffering for doing good was not what God normally willed, even though it could happen, and in fact may have happened to some of the readers (cf. 4:4, 12-19).

[4:1]  ¹¹ tc Most mss (א² A P Ï) add ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν (Juper Jhmwn, “for us”); others (א* 69 1505 pc) add ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν (Juper Jumwn, “for you”), the first hand of א also has ἀποθανόντος (apoqanonto", “since he died”) instead of παθόντος (paqonto", “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 motivated readings. The shortest reading is found in important and early Alexandrian and Western witnesses (Ì⁷² B C Ψ 0285 323 1739) and is strongly preferred.

[4:1]  ¹² 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.

[4:2]  ¹³ 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.

[4:3]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “the Gentiles,” used here of those who are not God’s people.

[4:3]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “to accomplish the desire of the Gentiles.”

[4:3]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “having gone along,” referring to the readers’ behavior in time past.

[4:3]  ¹⁷ 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.

[4:3]  ¹⁸ tn The Greek words here all occur in the plural to describe their common practice in the past.

[4:4]  ¹⁹ 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.

[4:4]  ²⁰ tn Or “are surprised, are taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:12.

[4:4]  ²¹ tn Grk “blaspheming,” giving the result of their astonishment. Here the target of their “blasphemy/vilification” is not God but the Christian.

[4:12]  ²² tn Or “do not be surprised, taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:4.

[4:12]  ²³ tn Grk “at the burning among you, occurring to you for testing.”

[4:13]  ²⁴ tn Grk “in the revelation of his glory.”

[4:13]  ²⁵ 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]  ²⁶ 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]  ²⁷ tn Grk “the Spirit of glory and of God.”

[4:14]  ²⁸ sn A quotation taken from Isa 11:2.

[4:15]  ²⁹ 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]  ³⁰ tn The verb is implied by the context but not expressed; Grk “but if as a Christian.”

[4:16]  ³¹ 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]  ³² tn Grk “in this name.”

[4:17]  ³³ tn Grk “to begin from the house.”

[4:17]  ³⁴ tn Or “the end.”

[4:18]  ³⁵ tn Grk “where will he appear.”

[4:18]  ³⁶ 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.

[4:18]  sn A quotation from Prov 11:31 (LXX).

[4:19]  ³⁷ tn Grk “in doing good.”

[5:10]  ³⁸ tc ‡ A few important mss (א B 614 630 1505 pc) lack “Jesus” after “Christ,” while the majority include the name (Ì⁷² A P Ψ 33 1739 Ï latt). However, the inclusion is a natural and predictable expansion on the text. NA²⁷ includes ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity. .

[5:10]  ³⁹ tn The pronoun “you” is not used explicitly but is clearly implied by the Greek.