1 Peter 4:14

Contextual Overview

¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: ¹²Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹² Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire. ¹² Dear friends, don't regard as strange the fiery ordeal occurring among you to test you, as if something extraordinary were happening to you. ¹² Beloved, take not [as] strange the fire [of persecution] which has taken place amongst you for [your] trial, as if a strange thing was happening to you; ¹² My friends, don't be surprised at the painful things that you are now suffering, which are testing your faith. Don't think that something strange is happening to you. ¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: ¹² Dear brothers, do not be surprised, as if it was something strange, if your faith is tested as by fire: ¹² Dearely beloued, thinke it not strange concerning the firie triall, which is among you to proue you, as though some strange thing were come vnto you: ¹² My beloved, do not think it strange at the trials that come upon you, as though some strange thing happened to you: because these things are to prove you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye be: 1 Peter 2:19, 1 Peter 2:20, 1 Peter 3:14, 1 Peter 3:16

reproached: 1 Peter 4:4, 1 Peter 4:5, Psalms 49:9, Psalms 89:51, Isaiah 51:7, Matthew 5:11, Luke 6:22, John 7:47-52, John 8:48, John 9:28, John 9:34, 2 Corinthians 12:10

happy: 1 Kings 10:8, Psalms 32:1, Psalms 32:2, Psalms 146:5, James 1:12, James 5:11

for: Numbers 11:25, Numbers 11:26, 2 Kings 2:15, Isaiah 11:2

on: Acts 13:45, Acts 18:6, 2 Peter 2:2

but: 1 Peter 2:12, 1 Peter 3:16, Matthew 5:16, Galatians 1:24, 2 Thessalonians 1:10-12

Reciprocal: Genesis 39:14 - he came Genesis 39:21 - the Lord 2 Samuel 6:22 - more vile Psalms 31:11 - I was Psalms 38:20 - because Psalms 50:15 - glorify Psalms 119:22 - for I have Psalms 119:46 - will not Proverbs 18:3 - General Song of Solomon 5:7 - took Isaiah 25:8 - rebuke Isaiah 43:7 - for my Isaiah 60:1 - the glory Isaiah 61:3 - that he Jeremiah 15:15 - know Jeremiah 20:8 - the word Jeremiah 20:18 - with Jeremiah 37:14 - said Daniel 6:4 - but Matthew 19:29 - my Luke 2:34 - for a Luke 9:26 - whosoever Luke 21:17 - for John 11:4 - for John 16:22 - and your Acts 4:9 - the good Acts 9:16 - for Acts 11:26 - were Acts 16:25 - sang Acts 25:7 - and laid Acts 26:31 - This man Acts 28:22 - for Romans 2:7 - glory Romans 8:30 - he justified 1 Corinthians 4:10 - for 2 Corinthians 6:8 - evil 2 Corinthians 12:9 - the power Philippians 1:11 - are Philippians 3:10 - and the fellowship 2 Thessalonians 1:5 - manifest 2 Thessalonians 1:12 - the name 1 Timothy 3:7 - lest 1 Timothy 4:10 - therefore 1 Timothy 5:14 - give 2 Timothy 1:8 - ashamed Hebrews 11:26 - the reproach Hebrews 12:2 - despising Hebrews 13:13 - General 1 John 4:17 - as

Cross-References

Genesis 4:5
but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:5
But vnto Cain, and to his offring he had not respect: and Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:5
but not with Cain and his offering. This made Cain so angry that he could not hide his feelings.

Genesis 4:5
but did not accept Kayin and his offering. Kayin was very angry, and his face fell.

Genesis 4:5
and upon Cain, and on his offering, he did not look. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:5
But he did not accept Cain and his offering. Cain was sad because of this, and he became very angry.

Genesis 4:5
but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

Genesis 4:5
But in Cain and his offering he had no pleasure. And Cain was angry and his face became sad.

Genesis 4:5
But vnto Cain and to his offeryng he had no respect: for the whiche cause Cain was exceedyng wroth, and his countenaunce abated.

Genesis 4:5
But with Cain and with his offering he was not pleased. So Cain was exceedingly displeased, and his countenance was sad.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ,.... For being called by his name; for bearing the name of Christians; for believing in him, and professing him; and for the sake of his Gospel, which is sometimes called his name, Acts 9:15 not that the apostle makes any doubt of this, for nothing is more certain than that the saints shall be reproached, and all manner of evil spoken of them falsely for Christ's name sake; but he supposes it, and takes it for granted, that they are, and will be reproached, and yet pronounces them blessed persons:

happy are ye; some supply it, "shall ye be", as the Vulgate Latin version; that is, in the other world, because the kingdom of heaven, the crown of life and glory, belongs to such persons; they will be happy at death, in judgment, and to all eternity: others, with our translators, supply, "are ye", as the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions; for such are happy now in themselves, being both comfortable in their frames, and honourable in their persons and characters, however uncomfortable, miserable, and dishonourable they may appear to the men of the world:

for the Spirit of glory, and of God, resteth upon you; alluding to

Isaiah 11:2 that is, the glorious Spirit of God, as the Syriac version renders it; who is glorious in himself, in the perfections of his nature, being possessed of the same glorious divine essence with the Father and Son; and in his works both of nature, being equally concerned with the other Persons in the Godhead in the works of creation and providence, and also of grace, especially the latter; and in all his gifts and graces with which he adorns the saints, and makes them glorious: and his resting on them denotes his inhabitation in them, and his abiding with them, and remaining in them; and which appears by the comfort they enjoy in their souls amidst all the reproaches and revilings of men, and by the strength which they have to bear up under and endure shame and persecution for the sake of Christ; and which casts an honour upon them, and makes them both glorious and cheerful. The Jews have a saying n, that the Holy Ghost does not dwell on any, but on him that has a cheerful heart:

on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified: on the part of the revilers, the person, office, work, and grace, the operations and influences of the Spirit are blasphemed and ridiculed; the power of the Spirit, with which the saints speak, the experiences of grace they express, the comforts of the Spirit they declare that they enjoy under suffering circumstances, as well as their courage, patience, and cheerfulness he gives them, are generally bantered by persecutors; and indeed all the reproaches they cast upon the people of God fall upon the Spirit of God, by whom they are animated and influenced: but on the part of the sufferers he is glorified; inasmuch as they continue to bear a testimony to his grace, depend upon his strength, and ascribe all their comfort and gracious experience unto him. This clause is wanting in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, but is in all Beza's Greek copies, excepting one; and is also in the Arabic version.

n T. Hieros. Succa, fol. 55. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye - That is, in his cause, or on his account. See the notes at Matthew 5:11. The sense of the word “happy” here is the same as “blessed” in Matthew 5:3-5, etc. It means that they were to regard their condition or lot as a blessed one; not that they would find personal and positive enjoyment on being reproached and vilified. It would be a blessed condition, because it would be like that of their Saviour; would show that they were his friends; would be accompanied with rich spiritual influences in the present world; and would be followed by the rewards of heaven.

For the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you - The glorious and Divine Spirit. There is no doubt that there is reference here to the Holy Spirit; and the meaning is, that they might expect that that Spirit would rest upon them, or abide with them, if they were persecuted for the cause of Christ. There may be some allusion here, in the language, to the fact that the Spirit of God descended and abode on the Saviour at his baptism John 1:33; and, in like manner, they might hope to have the same Spirit resting on them. The essential idea is, that, if they were called to suffer in the cause of the Redeemer, they would not be left or forsaken. They might hope that God would impart his Spirit to them in proportion to their sufferings in behalf of religion, and that they would have augmented joy and peace. This is doubtless the case with those who suffer persecution, and this is the secret reason why they are so sustained in their trials. Their persecutions are made the reason of a much more copious effusion of the Spirit on their souls. The same principle applies, doubtless, to all the forms of trial which the children of God pass through; and in sickness, bereavement, loss of property, disappointment in their worldly plans, and death itself, they may hope that larger measures of the Spirit’s influences will rest upon them. Hence, it is often gain to the believer to suffer.

On their part - So far as they are concerned; or by them.

He is evil spoken of - That is, the Holy Spirit. They only blaspheme him, (Greek;) they reproach his sacred influences by their treatment of you and your religion.

But on your part he is glorified - By your manner of speaking of him, and by the honor done to him in the patience evinced in your trials, and in your purity of life.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ — To be reproached for the name of Christ is to be reproached for being a Christian, that is, for being like Christ. This is the highest honour to which any man can arrive in this world, and therefore the apostle says to such? Happy are ye.

The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you — As this Divine Spirit rested upon Jesus, so does it rest upon his persecuted followers. There is a various reading here, και δυναμεως, and of power, which is found in some of the chief MSS., (the Codex Alexandrinus, and above twenty others,) the later Syriac, all the Arabic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, some copies of the Itala, Athanasius, Theophylact, Cyprian, and Cassiodorus; and in them the whole verse reads thus: If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory, AND OF POWER, and of God, resteth upon you. This is agreeable to our Lord's words, Matthew 5:11-12. So that what constituted them unhappy in the sight of the world was their chief happiness in the sight of God; they carried Christ the fountain of blessedness in their heart, and therefore could not be unhappy.

On their part he is evil spoken of — καταμεναυτους Κατα μεν αυτους βλασφημειται, κατα δε ὑμας δοξαζεται· By them he is blasphemed, by you he is honoured.