18 And if the righteous is difficultly saved, where shall the impious and [the] sinner appear?
Behold, the righteous shall be requited on the earth: how much more the wicked and the sinner.
for if these things are done in the green tree, what shall take place in the dry?
and spared not [the] old world, but preserved Noe, [the] eighth, a preacher of righteousness, having brought in [the] flood upon [the] world of [the] ungodly; and having reduced [the] cities of Sodom and Gomorrha to ashes, condemned [them] with an overthrow, setting [them as] an example to those that should [afterwards] live an ungodly life;
And when the righteous turneth from his righteousness and practiseth what is wrong, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous acts which he hath done shall be remembered: in his unfaithfulness which he hath wrought, and in his sin which he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Be vigilant, watch. Your adversary [the] devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour.
For there is revealed wrath of God from heaven upon all impiety, and unrighteousness of men holding the truth in unrighteousness.
establishing the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to abide in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
and if those days had not been cut short, no flesh had been saved; but on account of the elect those days shall be cut short. Then if any one say to you, Behold, here is the Christ, or here, believe [it] not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall give great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
The wicked are not so; but are as the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
But the just shall live by faith; and, if he draw back, my soul does not take pleasure in him. But *we* are not drawers back to perdition, but of faith to saving [the] soul.
So that let him that thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
for we being still without strength, in [the] due time Christ has died for [the] ungodly.
And [the] counsel of the soldiers was that they should kill the prisoners, lest any one should swim off and escape. But the centurion, desirous of saving Paul, hindered them of their purpose, and commanded those who were able to swim, casting themselves first [into the sea], to get out on land; and the rest, some on boards, some on some of the things [that came] from the ship; and thus it came to pass that all got safe to land.
Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless these abide in the ship *ye* cannot be saved.
And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near to him to hear him;
and if [the] Lord had not cut short those days, no flesh should have been saved; but on account of the elect whom he has chosen, he has cut short those days. And then if any one say to you, Lo, here [is] the Christ, or Lo, there, believe [it] not. For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and give signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
For behold, I begin to bring evil on the city that is called by my name, and should ye be altogether unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished; for I call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith Jehovah of hosts.
And Jehovah sent thee on a way and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Peter 4
Commentary on 1 Peter 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
The work of a Christian is twofold-doing the will of God and suffering his pleasure. This chapter directs us in both. The duties we are here exhorted to employ ourselves in are the mortification of sin, living to God, sobriety, prayer, charity, hospitality, and the best improvement of our talents, which the apostle presses upon Christians from the consideration of the time they have lost in their sins, and the approaching end of all things (v. 1-11). The directions for sufferings are that we should not be surprised at them, but rejoice in them, only take care not to suffer as evil-doers. He intimates that their trials were near at hand, that their souls were in danger as well as their bodies, and that the best way to preserve their souls is to commit them to God in well-doing (v. 12-19).
1Pe 4:1-3
The apostle here draws a new inference from the consideration of Christ's sufferings. As he had before made use of it to persuade to patience in suffering, so here to mortification of sin. Observe,
1Pe 4:4-6
1Pe 4:7-11
We have here an awful position or doctrine, and an inference drawn from it. The position is that the end of all things is at hand. The miserable destruction of the Jewish church and nation foretold by our Saviour is now very near; consequently, the time of their persecution and your sufferings is but very short. Your own life and that of your enemies will soon come to their utmost period. Nay, the world itself will not continue very long. The conflagration will put an end to it; and all things must be swallowed up in an endless eternity. The inference from this comprises a series of exhortations.
1Pe 4:12-19
The frequent repetition of counsel and comfort to Christians, considered as sufferers, in every chapter of this epistle, shows that the greatest danger these new converts were in arose from the persecutions to which their embracing Christianity exposed them. The good behaviour of Christians under sufferings is the most difficult part of their duty, but yet necessary both for the honour of Christ and their own comfort; and therefore the apostle, having extorted them in the former part of this chapter to the great duty of mortification, comes here to direct them in the necessary duty of patience under sufferings. An unmortified spirit is very unfit to bear trials. Observe,