Chapter 4 Verses 12-19

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TEXT: 1 Peter 4:12-19   Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: [13] But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. [14] If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. [15] But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. [16] Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. [17] For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? [18] And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? [19] Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

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THEME:        Persecution

PROP.:           We must understand the truth about persecution

INTER.:         What is the truth about persecution?

INTRODUCTION:

Persecution is a strange thing. Why would God ever allow a person who believes in God, who really loves and follows God, to suffer persecution? This is the point of this passage, to discuss the question of persecution, of the fiery trial that the believer sometimes has to suffer. The believer is to stand up under the fiery trials of persecution.

Believers often do not understand why they have to suffer. When they suffer, they are surprised and astonished, and they wonder why God does not protect them from suffering and from persecution. This is especially true when persecution is fiery, and so long as the believer is upon earth, he is going to be called upon to face fiery trials. Being a genuine believer in a corrupt world is difficult. People often oppose the believer’s stand for Christ. The world just cannot understand the demands of Christ for self-denial and discipline, for purity and righteousness, and in particular His insistence that they give all they are and have to His cause. Therefore, when a person really begins to live for Christ, the world often wants little to do with him. It may be next door, in the office, in school, in the government, or a hundred other places, but the genuine Christian is often avoided, ridiculed, mocked, ignored, overlooked, slandered, abused and mistreated.

I           The Puzzlement of Persecution

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

Painful trial (Gk. ‘exposure to fire with a view to testing’) looks back to the argument of 1:6–7. Strange is the adjective from the root of the verb used earlier in the sentence for do not be surprised. It would therefore be better to have ‘surprising’ here or else translate ‘strange’ in both places as the av and rv do.[2]

strange—they might think it strange that God should allow His chosen children to be sore tried.

fiery trial—like the fire by which metals are tested and their dross removed. The Greek adds, “in your case.”

which is to try you—Greek, “which is taking place for a trial to you.” Instead of its “happening to you” as some strange and untoward chance, it “is taking place” with the gracious design of trying you; God has a wise design in it—a consolatory reflection.

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II         The Partaking of Persecution

1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

inasmuch as—The oldest manuscripts read, “in proportion as”; “in as far as” ye by suffering are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that is, by faith enter into realizing fellowship with them; willingly for His sake suffering as He suffered.

with exceeding joy—Greek, “exulting joy”; now ye rejoice amidst sufferings; then ye shall exult, for ever free from sufferings (1Pe 1:6, 8). If we will not bear suffering for Christ now, we must bear eternal sufferings hereafter.

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Why does God allow the believer to suffer persecution? This verse says that God allows it for one very basic reason: to test and try and prove us. This means several things:

Persecution measures how strong our faith is. Any person’s faith can be measured by how much he is willing to sacrifice and bear for it. Suffering persecution for Christ shows how strong or weak our faith really is.

Persecution proves our trust in God and teaches us to depend upon God more and more. The more we suffer for Christ, the more we draw near God and plead for His help and strength. This, of course, teaches us to trust and depend upon Him more and more.

Persecution proves and strengthens our patience and endurance. The more we are tried and persecuted, the more we endure; and the more we endure, the more we are taught to endure. Persecution strengthens our patience, endurance, perseverance, and stedfastness in Christ.

Persecution proves our faith and attracts others to Christ. When we suffer and are persecuted, others can see the strength of Christ in us. They see that our faith in Christ is a living reality and they are drawn to Christ, to His salvation and love and care and strength. When others see us suffer for the hope of salvation and eternal life, the Holy Spirit uses our suffering to speak to the hearts of the persecutors and observers. He convicts them, and some eventually turn to Christ. Our faith is proven to be true, and it bears fruit.

SCRIPTURES TO PONDER

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:19).

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you....If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin" (John 15:18, 22).

"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake" (Phil. 1:29).
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12).

"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you" (1 John 3:13).

Our passage tells us to rejoice in persecution. This is difficult to do, for no person likes to suffer abuse or pain of any sort, but especially when it is inflicted by neighbors, friends, or co-workers. No person likes to be isolated, ridiculed, bypassed, scorned, imprisoned, or called upon to face death. Therefore, it is difficult to rejoice in persecution. Nevertheless this is the exhortation of Scripture. But note: there is a way to rejoice in persecution. How? By keeping our eyes and minds upon two things.

First, when we suffer, we are sharing in Christ’s sufferings. Christ was rejected by men because He lived and proclaimed the righteousness and salvation of God. Therefore, when we suffer for following Christ—for living and proclaiming the righteousness and salvation of God—we are suffering for the very same reason that Christ suffered. We are sharing in the very sufferings of Christ Himself. We are denying ourselves and suffering for God and His righteousness just as Christ did. We become identified with Christ, associated with Him in the deepest devotion possible, the very sacrifice of ourselves for the cause of God and His glorious salvation. No greater privilege could be given to a person than to become so devoted to God that he would join Christ in the sacrifice of himself to God. To be so identified with Christ, who is the very Son of God Himself, is the height of privileges, a great reason for joy and rejoicing.

SCRIPTURES TO PONDER

"And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name" (Acts 5:41).

"And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them" (Acts 16:23-25).

"As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things" (2 Cor. 6:10).

"For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance" (Hebrews 10:34).

Second, when we suffer, we shall be greatly rewarded when Christ returns in glory.

SCRIPTURES TO PONDER

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12).

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together" (Romans 8:16-17).

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17).

"Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim. 2:10).

"Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me" (2 Tim. 3:11).

"Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward" (Hebrews 11:26).

III        The Purpose of Persecution

1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

14 Because of the name of Christ need not mean that it was already a criminal offence to be a Christian, for Jesus himself suggested the possibility of suffering for his name’s sake (see Mt. 10:22; Jn. 15:21). For further details see the Introduction on authorship. In every age since Jesus Christians who have tried to live like him have become the target of slander or hatred from those who have been challenged or convicted by their behaviour. Some have taken the [spirit of] glory (‘spirit of’ is not in the original) to refer to the Shekinah, the visible brightness which symbolized God’s presence among his people (Ex. 40:34–35). That may be so, but the context and sentence structure make it more likely to be best taken (as the niv) to mean God’s Spirit. This is the Spirit of glory as he reveals God’s glory to his people by making Christ real to them and transforming them into his image (Jn. 16:14; 2 Cor. 3:18). The phrase may have been coined from the lxx of Is. 11:2; though neither glory nor power (an alternative reading) are mentioned there.[5]

for—Greek, “in the name of Christ,” namely, as Christians (1Pe 4:16; 3:14, above); “in My name, because ye belong to Christ.” The emphasis lies on this: 1Pe 4:15, “as a murderer, thief,” &c., stands in contrast. Let your suffering be on account of Christ, not on account of evil-doing (1Pe 2:20).

reproached—Reproach affects noble minds more than loss of goods, or even bodily sufferings.

the spirit … upon you—the same Spirit as rested on Christ (Lu 4:18). “The Spirit of glory” is His Spirit, for He is the “Lord of glory” (Jam 2:1). Believers may well overcome the “reproach” (compare Heb 11:26), seeing that “the Spirit of glory” rests upon them, as upon Him. It cannot prevent the happiness of the righteous, if they are reproached for Christ, because they retain before God their glory entire, as having the Spirit, with whom glory is inseparably joined [Calvin].

and of God—Greek, “and the (Spirit) of God”; implying that the Spirit of glory (which is Christ’s Spirit) is at the same time also the Spirit of God.

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We need to know God’s Spirit, that a radiance of God’s glory rests upon us in Christ. The words "reproached for...Christ" mean suffering for righteousness; being persecuted or abused or ridiculed for Christ. When a believer suffers for Christ, "the spirit of glory and of God rests upon [him]." He is given a very special closeness, a oneness with Christ that is beyond imagination and unexplainable (Acts 7:54-60). The Holy Spirit infuses him with a deep, intense consciousness of the Lord’s presence. The Holy Spirit actually causes a glow of God’s glory to shine in and through the believer’s body. This is apparently the Shekinah glory of God’s presence. It is the same glory that shone upon Stephen’s face when he was martyred. It is an anointing, a consciousness so deep that it cannot be experienced apart from some severe experience of suffering.

In suffering for Christ the believer also experiences a very special identification with Christ, an identification that stirs a sense of happiness and joy within him. The Lord suffered on behalf of the believer, so now the believer suffers on behalf of the Lord. There is a sense in which the believer’s sufferings fill up the sufferings of Christ and complete the sufferings of Christ for the church.

These two experiences—gaining a deeper consciousness of the Lord’s presence and being used to complete the sufferings for the church—are gained only through suffering. They make suffering a privilege and a joy for the believer, for the believer suffers even as his Lord suffered. Note: Christ is glorified by the believer’s sufferings. The believer honors Christ and proves that Christ is the Savior of the world by standing up for Him.

IV        The Prohibitions of Persecution

1 Peter 4:15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

But—Greek, “For.” “Reproached in the name of Christ” I say (1Pe 4:14), “for let none,” &c.

as … as … as … as—the “as” twice in italics is not in the Greek. The second Greek, “as,” distinguishes the class “busybody in other men’s matters,” from the previous class of delinquents. Christians, from mistaken zeal, under the plea of faithfulness, might readily step out of their own calling and make themselves judges of the acts of unbelievers. Literally, “a bishop in what is (not his own, but) another’s” province; an allusion to the existing bishops or overseers of the Church; a self-constituted bishop in others’ concerns.

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15 Meddler may seem out of place in this list of otherwise criminal activities, but this was often the effect the gospel seemed to have (as in Acts 16:18; 19:27).

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We must remember not to bring suffering and persecution upon ourselves by breaking some law or doing some evil thing. If a person violates the laws of the land and harms others, then he deserves to suffer. This is not suffering for Christ’s name. Suffering for Christ means that a person is persecuted because he is living for and proclaiming Christ. Therefore, a believer is not to bring suffering upon himself. If he is ever to suffer or be persecuted, it is to be because he is living for Christ and not because he is a lawbreaker. The believer is not to suffer as a murderer: he is not to take the life of another person. In fact, he is never to become unjustly angry or to demean another person. The believer is not to suffer as a thief: he is not to steal, no matter how small the item is nor how much he may need or desire it. The believer is not to suffer as an evil doer, as any kind of lawbreaker or evil person. The believer is not to suffer as a busybody or meddler or troublemaker in other people’s affairs. No believer is to interfere in the life or affairs of anyone else—never in matters that do not concern him.

SCRIPTURES TO PONDER

"Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine" (1 Tim. 1:9-10).

"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience" (Ephes. 5:6).

"For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him" (Hebrews 2:2-3).

V         The Personal identification of persecution

1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

a Christian—the name given in contempt first at Antioch. Ac 11:26; 26:28; the only three places where the term occurs. At first believers had no distinctive name, but were called among themselves “brethren,” Ac 6:3; “disciples,” Ac 6:1; “those of the way,” Ac 9:2; “saints,” Ro 1:7; by the Jews (who denied that Jesus was the Christ, and so would never originate the name Christian), in contempt, “Nazarenes.” At Antioch, where first idolatrous Gentiles (Cornelius, Ac 10:1, 2, was not an idolater, but a proselyte) were converted, and wide missionary work began, they could be no longer looked on as a Jewish sect, and so the Gentiles designated them by the new name “Christians.” The rise of the new name marked a new epoch in the Church’s life, a new stage of its development, namely, its missions to the Gentiles. The idle and witty people of Antioch, we know from heathen writers, were famous for inventing nicknames. The date of this Epistle must have been when this had become the generally recognized designation among Gentiles (it is never applied by Christians to each other, as it was in after ages—an undesigned proof that the New Testament was composed when it professes), and when the name exposed one to reproach and suffering, though not seemingly as yet to systematic persecution.

16 Christian occurs on only two other occasions in the NT (Acts 11:26; 26:28). In both cases it is assumed to have been used by detractors as a term of contempt. However, people of the day used the Latin ending -ianus (anglicized as ‘-ian’) in two ways which might shed light on this usage. Herod’s followers were called ‘Herodians’ (Mk. 3:6) and so ‘Christians’ could have indicated ‘supporters of Christ’. It was the Roman custom for a person adopted into a noble family to use as his own the family name with the -ianus ending. So a person adopted into the family of Domitius could call himself Domitianus. Antioch (where the custom began—Acts 11:26) was a Roman city, and so Christians there might well have used the name to show that they had been adopted into the family of Christ (Rom. 8:15–17).

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let him not be ashamed—though the world is ashamed of shame. To suffer for one’s own faults is no honor (1Pe 4:15; 1Pe 2:20),—for Christ, is no shame (1Pe 4:14; 1Pe 3:13).

but let him glorify God—not merely glory in persecution; Peter might have said as the contrast, “but let him esteem it an honor to himself”; but the honor is to be given to God, who counts him worthy of such an honor, involving exemption from the coming judgments on the ungodly.

on this behalf—The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read, “in this name,” that is, in respect of suffering for such a name.

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SCRIPTURES TO PONDER

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).

"According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death" (Phil. 1:20).

"And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28).

"Give unto the lord the glory due unto his name; worship the lord in the beauty of holiness" (Psalm 29:2).

"O magnify the lord with me, and let us exalt his name together" (Psalm 34:3).

"Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth" (Psalm 57:5).

"Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders" (Psalm 107:32).

"O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1).

VI        The Purifying of persecution

1 Peter 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Another ground of consolation to Christians. All must pass under the judgment of God; God’s own household first, their chastisement being here, for which they should glorify Him as a proof of their membership in His family, and a pledge of their escape from the end of those whom the last judgment shall find disobedient to the Gospel.

the time—Greek, “season,” “fit time.”

judgment must begin at the house of God—the Church of living believers. Peter has in mind Ez 9:6; compare Am 3:2; Je 25:29. Judgment is already begun, the Gospel word, as a “two-edged sword,” having the double effect of saving some and condemning others, and shall be consummated at the last judgment. “When power is given to the destroyer, he observes no distinction between the righteous and the wicked; not only so, but he begins first at the righteous” [Wetstein from Rabbins]. But God limits the destroyer’s power over His people.

if … at us, what shall the end be of them, &c.—If even the godly have chastening judgments now, how much more shall the ungodly be doomed to damnatory judgments at last.

gospel of God—the very God who is to judge them.

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We need to accept persecution as the purifying judgment of God. Scripture clearly says that persecution is used by God as a judgment upon believers. Judgment, in fact, must begin at the house or church of God. What does this mean? When things are going well for the believer, he tends to feel more and more secure in himself and tends to partake of the world more and more. Perhaps he partakes of only little tidbits of the pleasure and possessions of the world, but nevertheless, he is still partaking of some worldliness. The result is that the believer does not concentrate and focus upon Christ like he should. When things are going well, he does not pray and worship nor fellowship and commune with God like he should. He becomes somewhat contaminated and polluted with a sense of self-sufficiency and worldliness. When this happens, God has to do something to awaken the believer. One thing that He often does is use persecution to arouse the believer. God can use persecution as a means of judgment, as a means to stir the believer to clean up his life and to draw closer to God. Think about it: When a believer is persecuted, to whom can he turn? There is only one sure deliverer and that is God. Therefore, persecution causes the believer to flee to God for deliverance and protection; it causes the believer to turn his attention from self and the world and to focus and concentrate upon God.

Two things happen: The believer forgets self and self-sufficiency and he acknowledges that he is totally dependent upon God. Also, the believer cleans up his life. He turns away from the tidbits of worldliness and focuses upon God, fellowshipping and communing with Him as God wills. The point is this: persecution is used by God as a purifying judgment, as a means of chastening and cleaning up the life of the believer. Therefore, the believer is to stand fast against persecution knowing that God wants to use it to draw him closer and closer to Christ.

VII      The partition of persecution

1 Peter 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

scarcely—Compare “so as by fire,” 1Co 3:15; having to pass through trying chastisements, as David did for his sin. “The righteous” man has always more or less of trial, but the issue is certain, and the entrance into the kingdom abundant at last. The “scarcely” marks the severity of the ordeal, and the unlikelihood (in a mere human point of view) of the righteous sustaining it; but the righteousness of Christ and God’s everlasting covenant make it all sure.

ungodly—having no regard for God; negative description.

sinner—loving sin; positive; the same man is at once God-forgetting and sin-loving.

appear—in judgment.

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If believers have to suffer the judgment of God while on earth—if the righteous are scarcely saved—where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? What shall be the end of the person who lives an impure and unrighteous life? Who disobeys God and rebels and rejects Him and curses His name? What kind of judgment shall they bear? The point is this: they will never be allowed to appear in God’s presence; they will never be acceptable to God. Their judgment shall be terrible; they shall be eternally doomed from the presence of the Lord—forever and ever separated from Him.

SCRIPTURES TO PONDER

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:46).

"But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation" (Mark 3:29).

"Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable" (Luke 3:17).

"But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath" (Romans 2:8).

"What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death" (Romans 6:21).

"For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things" (Phil. 3:18-19).

"Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (2 Thes. 1:9).

"But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing: whose end is to be burned" (Hebrews 6:8).

"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29).

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2 Peter 2:9).

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15).

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8).

VIII     The Presentation in Persecution

1 Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

If such suffering is accepted in the light of vs 17–18, then far from giving up under it the Christian will persevere in doing good. We follow Christ’s example, by committing the out-come into God’s hands. Commit is the word used by Jesus in Lk. 23:46 (citing Ps. 31:5). Every faithful Jew used this as a final prayer at night and this may be the thought here. Paul used the noun derived from this root in 2 Tim. 1:12 to express his confidence in God’s safe keeping. Creator is used here probably to remind the readers of God’s power (cf. 1:5 and Paul’s thought in Phil. 1:6).

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We remain steadfast through the storm of suffering and persecution by doing good and commiting our souls to the keeping of God. The believer’s suffering is in the will of God. God is either glorifying the name of Christ or purifying the life of the believer by the suffering.

The word "commit" means to deposit; to entrust into the hands of a trusted banker or friend. God can be trusted; He will not fail the believer. He will either deliver the believer through the suffering or else on home to be with Christ forever. God will save the believer’s soul. The believer can trust God, trust Him far more than any friend on earth, for God never fails. God is a faithful Creator. He has created us to be with Him eternally, and His plan will not be defeated. If we commit our souls to Him, no matter what men may do to us, God will save us. He will fulfill His plan and purpose in our lives.

SCRIPTURES TO PONDER

"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are" (John 17:11).

"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2 Tim. 1:12).

"And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever" (2 Tim. 4:18).

"And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land [Canaan, a type of heaven]; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Genesis 28:15).

"And the lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day" (Deut. 6:24).

"O love the lord, all ye his saints: for the lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer" (Psalm 31:23).

"For the lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off" (Psalm 37:28).

"Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4).

"He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints" (Proverbs 2:8).

"Fear thou not; For I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10).

CONCLUSION:

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[1]Schwandt, John ; Collins, C. John: The ESV English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament. Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2006; 2006, S. 1 Pe 4:12-19

Gk. Greek

av Authorized (King James) version

rv Revised Version

[2]Carson, D. A.: New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA : Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, S. 1 Pe 4:12

[3]Jamieson, Robert ; Fausset, A. R. ; Fausset, A. R. ; Brown, David ; Brown, David: A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, S. 1 Pe 4:12

[4]Jamieson, Robert ; Fausset, A. R. ; Fausset, A. R. ; Brown, David ; Brown, David: A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, S. 1 Pe 4:13

niv New International Version

lxx Septuagint (Gk. version of OT)

[5]Carson, D. A.: New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA : Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, S. 1 Pe 4:12

[6]Jamieson, Robert ; Fausset, A. R. ; Fausset, A. R. ; Brown, David ; Brown, David: A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, S. 1 Pe 4:14

[7]Jamieson, Robert ; Fausset, A. R. ; Fausset, A. R. ; Brown, David ; Brown, David: A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, S. 1 Pe 4:15

[8]Carson, D. A.: New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA : Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, S. 1 Pe 4:12

NT New Testament

[9]Carson, D. A.: New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA : Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, S. 1 Pe 4:12

[10]Jamieson, Robert ; Fausset, A. R. ; Fausset, A. R. ; Brown, David ; Brown, David: A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, S. 1 Pe 4:16

[11]Jamieson, Robert ; Fausset, A. R. ; Fausset, A. R. ; Brown, David ; Brown, David: A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, S. 1 Pe 4:17

[12]Jamieson, Robert ; Fausset, A. R. ; Fausset, A. R. ; Brown, David ; Brown, David: A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, S. 1 Pe 4:18

cf. compare

[13]Carson, D. A.: New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA : Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, S. 1 Pe 4:12