1 Peter · Bible in Basic English
1 Peter 4 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 So that as Jesus was put to death in the flesh, do you yourselves be of the same mind; for the death of the flesh puts an end to sin;
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
1 Χριστοῦ οὖν παθόντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σαρκὶ καὶ ὑμεῖς τὴν αὐτὴν ἔννοιαν ὁπλίσασθε, ὅτι ὁ παθὼν [ἐν] σαρκὶ πέπαυται ἁμαρτίας,
2 So that you may give the rest of your lives in the flesh, not to the desires of men, but to the purpose of God.
2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
2 εἰς τὸ μηκέτι ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαις, ἀλλὰ θελήματι Θεοῦ τὸν ἐπίλοιπον ἐν σαρκὶ βιῶσαι χρόνον.
3 Because for long enough, in times past, we have been living after the way of the Gentiles, given up to the desires of the flesh, to drinking and feasting and loose behaviour and unclean worship of images;
3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.
3 ἀρκετὸς γὰρ ὑμῖν ὁ παρεληλυθὼς χρόνος τοῦ βίου τὸ θέλημα τῶν ἐθνῶν κατεργάσασθαι, πεπορευμένους ἐν ἀσελγείαις, ἐπιθυμίαις, οἰνοφλυγίαις, κώμοις, πότοις καὶ ἀθεμίτοις εἰδωλολατρείαις.
4 And they are wondering that you no longer go with them in this violent wasting of life, and are saying evil things of you:
4 They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.
4 ἐν ᾧ ξενίζονται μὴ συντρεχόντων ὑμῶν εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν τῆς ἀσωτίας ἀνάχυσιν, βλασφημοῦντες·
5 But they will have to give an account of themselves to him who is ready to be the judge of the living and the dead.
5 They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
5 οἳ ἀποδώσουσι λόγον τῷ ἑτοίμως ἔχοντι κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς.
6 For this was the reason why the good news of Jesus was given even to the dead, so that they might be judged as men in the flesh, but might be living before God in the spirit.
6 For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.
6 εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ νεκροῖς εὐηγγελίσθη, ἵνα κριθῶσι μὲν κατὰ ἀνθρώπους σαρκί, ζῶσι δὲ κατὰ Θεὸν πνεύματι.
7 But the end of all things is near: so be serious in your behaviour and keep on the watch with prayer;
7 But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.
7 Πάντων δὲ τὸ τέλος ἤγγικε. σωφρονήσατε οὖν καὶ νήψατε εἰς τὰς προσευχάς·
8 And most of all be warm in your love for one another; because in love there is forgiveness for sins without number:
8 And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.
8 πρὸ πάντων δὲ τὴν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ἀγάπην ἐκτενῆ ἔχοντες, ὅτι [ἡ] ἀγάπη καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν·
9 Keep open house for all with a glad heart;
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
9 φιλόξενοι εἰς ἀλλήλους ἄνευ γογγυσμῶν·
10 Making distribution among one another of whatever has been given to you, like true servants of the unmeasured grace of God;
10 As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.
10 ἕκαστος καθὼς ἔλαβε χάρισμα, εἰς ἑαυτοὺς αὐτὸ διακονοῦντες ὡς καλοὶ οἰκονόμοι ποικίλης χάριτος Θεοῦ·
11 If anyone has anything to say, let it be as the words of God; if anyone has the desire to be the servant of others, let him do it in the strength which is given by God; so that in all things God may have the glory through Jesus Christ, whose are the glory and the power for ever.
11 If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
11 εἴ τις λαλεῖ, ὡς λόγια Θεοῦ· εἴ τις διακονεῖ, ὡς ἐξ ἰσχύος, ὡς χορηγεῖ ὁ Θεός· ἵνα ἐν πᾶσι δοξάζηται ὁ Θεὸς διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἐστιν ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων· ἀμήν.
12 Dear brothers, do not be surprised, as if it was something strange, if your faith is tested as by fire:
12 Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.
12 Ἀγαπητοί, μὴ ξενίζεσθε τῇ ἐν ὑμῖν πυρώσει πρὸς πειρασμὸν ὑμῖν γινομένῃ, ὡς ξένου ὑμῖν συμβαίνοντος,
13 But be glad that you are given a part in the pains of Christ; so that at the revelation of his glory you may have great joy.
13 But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.
13 ἀλλὰ καθὸ κοινωνεῖτε τοῖς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παθήμασι, χαίρετε, ἵνα καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀποκαλύψει τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ χαρῆτε ἀγαλλιώμενοι.
14 If men say evil things of you because of the name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God is resting on you.
14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.
14 εἰ ὀνειδίζεσθε ἐν ὀνόματι Χριστοῦ, μακάριοι, ὅτι τὸ τῆς δόξης καὶ δυνάμεως καὶ τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ Πνεῦμα ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἀναπαύεται· κατὰ μὲν αὐτοὺς βλασφημεῖται, κατὰ δὲ ὑμᾶς δοξάζεται.
15 Let no one among you undergo punishment as a taker of life, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as one who is over-interested in other men's business;
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men’s matters.
15 μὴ γάρ τις ὑμῶν πασχέτω ὡς φονεὺς ἢ κλέπτης ἢ κακοποιὸς ἢ ὡς ἀλλοτριοεπίσκοπος·
16 But if he undergoes punishment as a Christian, that is no shame to him; let him give glory to God in this name.
16 But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.
16 εἰ δὲ ὡς Χριστιανός, μὴ αἰσχυνέσθω, δοξαζέτω δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ἐν τῷ μέρει τούτῳ.
17 For the time has come for the judging, starting with the church of God; but if it makes a start with us, what will be the end of those who are not under the rule of God?
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God?
17 ὅτι ὁ καιρὸς τοῦ ἄρξασθαι τὸ κρῖμα ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ· εἰ δὲ πρῶτον ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν, τί τὸ τέλος τῶν ἀπειθούντων τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐαγγελίῳ;
18 And if it is hard for even the good man to get salvation, what chance has the man without religion or the sinner?
18 “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?”
18 καὶ εἰ ὁ δίκαιος μόλις σῴζεται, ὁ ἀσεβὴς καὶ ἁμαρτωλὸς ποῦ φανεῖται;
19 For this reason let those who by the purpose of God undergo punishment, keep on in well-doing and put their souls into the safe hands of their Maker.
19 Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.
19 ὥστε καὶ οἱ πάσχοντες κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς πιστῷ κτίστῃ παρατιθέσθωσαν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν ἀγαθοποιΐᾳ.
Cross references (19)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Galatians 5:24; 1 Peter 3:18; Colossians 3:3–5; Romans 6:11; Galatians 2:20
- 2 Ephesians 4:22–24; 1 Peter 1:14; Ephesians 6:6; Romans 6:11; Titus 3:3–8
- 3 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:5; 1 Peter 1:14; Ephesians 2:2–3
- 4 1 Peter 3:16; 1 Peter 2:12; Jude 10; Acts 18:6; Acts 13:45
- 5 James 5:9; 2 Timothy 4:1; Acts 10:42; Romans 14:10–12; John 5:22–23
- 6 Romans 8:2; 1 Peter 3:19; John 5:25–26; Romans 8:9–11; Ephesians 2:3–5
- 7 James 5:8–9; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Luke 21:34
- 8 Proverbs 10:12; Colossians 3:14; Proverbs 17:9; James 5:20; 1 Peter 1:22
- 9 Hebrews 13:2; Romans 12:13; Philippians 2:14; Hebrews 13:16; 1 Timothy 3:2
- 10 Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; 1 Corinthians 4:1–2; Mark 10:45; Hebrews 6:10
- 11 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 6:10; Ephesians 4:29; 1 Corinthians 12:4
- 12 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 1:6–7; 1 Peter 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:2–4; Daniel 11:35
- 13 Romans 8:17; James 1:2–3; Romans 5:3; Philippians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 1:7
- 14 1 Peter 3:14; Luke 6:22; Matthew 5:11; 1 Peter 3:16; James 1:12
- 15 2 Thessalonians 3:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 1 Peter 2:19–20; 1 Timothy 5:13; 1 Peter 3:17
- 16 1 Peter 3:17–18; Philippians 1:29; 1 Peter 4:19; James 1:2–4; Acts 5:41
- 17 Jeremiah 25:29; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Romans 2:9; Ezekiel 9:6; 1 Peter 2:8
- 18 Proverbs 11:31; Ezekiel 18:24; Luke 23:31; 2 Peter 2:5–6; Jude 15
- 19 Psalm 37:5; 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 Peter 3:17; Psalm 138:8; Psalm 146:5–6
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Love covers a multitude of sins. Love beareth all things, is long-suffering in all things.
Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from the beginning; "watching unto prayer," and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our supplications the all-seeing God "not to lead us into temptation," as the Lord has said: "The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is …
"Love moreover is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." And because it is through sin that we are alienated from the possession of true good, "Love covereth a multitude of sins." So then the Father is Himself the True Origin to the Son, who is the Truth, and the Son is the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
Let us then be imitators of His patience; and if we suffer for His name's sake, let us glorify Him.
Before all, then, confession; then, love: for of charity what is said? "Charity covereth a multitude of sins." Now let us see whether he commendeth charity in regard of the sins which subsequently overtake us: because charity alone extinguisheth sins.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)