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.

King James Version · Read in your translation · Open the Explore console

Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	γάρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
let	πασχέτω paschetō	G3958	to experience a sensation or impression (usually painfu… · verb — present active imperative, 3rd person singular
none	Μὴ Mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
you	ὑμῶν hymōn	G5216	of (from or concerning) you
suffer	πάσχω páschō	G3958	to experience a sensation or impression (usually painfu…
as	ὡς hōs	G5613	which how · particle
murderer	φονεὺς phoneus	G5406	a murderer (always of criminal (or at least intentional… · noun — nominative singular masculine
or	ἢ ē	G2228	disjunctive · conjunction
thief	κλέπτης kleptēs	G2812	a stealer (literally or figuratively) · noun — nominative singular masculine
or	ἢ ē	G2228	disjunctive · conjunction
evildoer	κακοποιὸς kakopoios	G2555	a bad-doer · noun — nominative singular masculine
or	ἢ ē	G2228	disjunctive · conjunction
as	ὡς hōs	G5613	which how · particle
men’s matters	ἀλλοτριεπίσκοπος· allotriepiskopos	G244	overseeing others' affairs · noun — nominative singular masculine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
1 Timothy 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things…
1 Peter 2:19-20 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
1 Peter 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
2 Timothy 2:9 Where in I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 4:12–end

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, I. The apostle's kin…

Read the whole note in the console

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Peter 4:15

But--Greek, "For." "Reproached in the name of Christ" I say (Pe1 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.

Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 4:15

But let none of you suffer - as a busybody in other men's matters - Αλλοτριοεπισκοπος· The inspector of another; meddling with other people's concerns, and forgetting their own; such persons are hated of all men. But some think that meddling with those in public office is here intended, as if he had said: Meddle not with the affairs of state, leave public offices and public officers to their own master, strive to live peaceably with all men, and show yourselves to be humble and unaspiring.

John Gill on 1 Peter 4:15

But let none of you suffer as a murderer,.... The punishment for murder was death by the law of God, Genesis 9:6 or as a thief; whose fine or mulct, according to the Jewish law, was a fivefold or fourfold restitution, according to the nature of the thing that was stolen, Exodus 22:1 or as an evildoer; a breaker of any of the laws of God or men, which are of a moral nature, and for the good of civil society: or as a busybody in other men's matters; "or as a bishop in another man's diocese"; that concerns himself in things he has nothing to do with, and neglects his own affairs, and lives in idleness, and upon the spoil of others; or takes upon him to manage, direct, order, and command othe…

The Church Fathers

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, etc. For he suffers as a blasphemer who, at the time of his suffering, is carried away into the injury of his persecutor.
— Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

"even as a bigmouth," who curiously scrutinizes what belongs to others, in order to have an occasion for slander. This, however, is the disposition of a wicked and deceitful mind, and one that is quick and ready for every evil.
— Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 Peter

Our suffering must not be like that of the thief on the cross, who suffered because he was a murderer, even though he himself confessed that Christ had done no wrong. Nor should we be like Ananias and Sapphira, who tried to steal what belonged to God. Even less should we imitate Simon Magus, who denounced the apostles to Nero and who tried to buy their gifts with gold and silver.
— Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 1 PETER

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Theft — Punished by restitution, the proportions of which are noted in 2 Sam. 12:6. If the thief could not pay the fine, he was to be sold to a Hebrew master till he could pay (Ex. 22:1-4). A night-thief…
Busy-Bodies · Christians must not be — Christians must not be
Busybody · 3:11,12; — 3:11,12;
Constancy · Un — Un
Homicide · 24:22; — 24:22;
Murder · Saints: Specially warned against — Saints: Specially warned against
Theft · Saints: Warned against — Saints: Warned against
Theft And Thieves · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

1 Peter 4:15

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 4:12–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Peter 4:15

Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 4:15

John Gill on 1 Peter 4:15

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Peter 4:15

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 4:12–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Peter 4:15

Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 4:15

John Gill on 1 Peter 4:15

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 1 Peter 4:12-16

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Peter 4:14