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?

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
For	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
time	καιρὸς kairos	G2540	an occasion · noun — nominative singular masculine
judgment	κρίμα krima	G2917	a decision (the function or the effect · noun — accusative singular neuter
begin	ἄρχομαι árchomai	G756	to commence (in order of time)
at	ἀπὸ apo	G575	"off · preposition
house	οἴκου oikou	G3624	a dwelling (more or less extensive · noun — genitive singular masculine
God	θεοῦ· theou	G2316	figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
and	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
if	εἰ ei	G1487	if · conditional particle
first	πρῶτον prōton	G4412	firstly (in time
at	ἀφ᾽ aph᾽	G575	"off · preposition
us	ἡμῶν hēmōn	G2257	of (or from) us
what	τί ti	G5101	an interrogative pronoun · interrogative pronoun — nominative singular neuter
end	τέλος telos	G5056	properly · noun — nominative singular neuter
not	ἀπειθούντων apeithountōn	G544	to disbelieve (wilfully and perversely) · verb — present active participle, genitive plural masculine
gospel	εὐαγγελίῳ; euangeliō	G2098	a good message · noun — dative singular neuter
God	θεοῦ theou	G2316	figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title

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

Jeremiah 25:29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for…
2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Ezekiel 9:6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my san…
1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appoint…
Luke 12:47-48 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes…
Malachi 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false…
Luke 23:31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

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…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Peter 4:17

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 Eze 9:6; compare Amo 3:2; Jer 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…

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Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 4:17

Judgment must begin at the house of God - Our Lord had predicted that, previously to the destruction of Jerusalem, his own followers would have to endure various calamities; see Mat 24:9, Mat 24:21, Mat 24:22; Mar 13:12, Mar 13:13; Joh 16:2, etc. Here his true disciples are called the house or family of God. That the converted Jews suffered much from their own brethren, the zealots, or factions into which the Jews were at that time divided, needs little proof; and some interpreters think that this was in conformity to the purpose of God, (Mat 23:35 : That on you may come all the righteous blood shed from the foundation of the world), "that the Jewish Christians were to be involved in the gen…

The Church Fathers

"Since," it is said, "it is time for judgment beginning at the house of God." For judgment will overtake these in the appointed persecutions.
— Clement of Alexandria ((as quoted by Cassiodorus)), From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

If it begins with us first, what will be the end of those, etc.? From this it is inferred how sternly the Judge will strike those whom he rejects, if he thus torments here those whom he loves. For if the children are scourged, what can the wicked servants expect?
— Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

When the time comes for God's judgment to begin, it will start with the best and work its way downwards, that is to say, it will commence with those who believe and belong to the church of God. Just think—if the examination of our lives begins with those who belong to God's household, what will it be like by the time it gets to those who have rejected the gospel? God sends great suffering and fear on believers so that they may learn that he is the judge to whom they must answer, and on unbelievers he sends the same fear, saying that they will not escape the great punishments which are their lot.
— Didymus the Blind, CATENA

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

Church · 1:16; — 1:16;
Gospel, The · Is called the: Gospel of God — Is called the: Gospel of God

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 4:17

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 4:12–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Peter 4:17

Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 4:17

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Peter 4:17

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 4:12–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Peter 4:17

Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 4:17

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on 1 Peter 4:17

John Calvin on 1 Peter 4:17–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Peter 4:17