^4:12Dear friends, do not be astonished³¹ that a trial by fire is occurring among you,³² as though something strange were happening to you. ^4:13But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed³³ you may also rejoice and be glad.³⁴^4:14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory,³⁵ who is the Spirit of God,³⁶ rests³⁷ on you. ^4:15But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker.³⁸^4:16But if you suffer as a Christian,³⁹ do not be ashamed, but glorify⁴⁰ God that you bear such a name.⁴¹^4:17For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house⁴² of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate⁴³ of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? ^4:18And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of⁴⁴ the ungodly and sinners?⁴⁵^4:19So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good.⁴⁶

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Footnotes

31 Or “do not be surprised, taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:4.
32 Grk “at the burning among you, occurring to you for testing.”
33 Grk “in the revelation of his glory.”
34 The verb “be glad” is used also in 1:6 and 1:8. The verbs of v. 13b are used together in Matt 5:12 and Rev 19:7.
35 Many , some of them important and early ([א] A P 33 81 323 945 1241 1739 bo), add καὶ δυνάμεως (kai dunameōs; “and of power”) here. The shorter reading is supported by 𝔓72 B K L Ψ 049 ). Although the evidence is evenly divided, the longer reading looks to be an explanatory or liturgical expansion on the text and for this reason should be considered secondary.
36 Grk “the Spirit of glory and of God.”
37 A quotation taken from Isa 11:2.
38 The meaning of the Greek word used here is uncertain. It may mean “spy, informer,” “revolutionary,” or “defrauder, embezzler.” But the most likely meaning is “busybody, one who meddles in the affairs of others, troublesome meddler.” The translation given in the text is intended to suggest this general idea.
39 The verb is implied by the context but not expressed; Grk “but if as a Christian.”
40 These are third-person imperatives in Greek (“if [one of you suffers] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed … let him glorify”), but have been translated as second-person verbs since this is smoother English idiom.
41 Grk “in this name.”
42 Grk “to begin from the house.”
43 Or “the end.”
44 Grk “where will he appear.”
45 The personal references in v. 18 are generic singulars, but they have been changed to the plural in English to maintain consistency with the plurals of v. 17. A quotation from Prov 11:31 ().
46 Grk “in doing good.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?

And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?

So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

NLTNew Living Translation

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also,

“If the righteous are barely saved,

what will happen to godless sinners?”

So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, when it takes place to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice and be glad. If you are reviled on account of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. By all means do not let anyone of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. But if someone suffers as a Christian, he must not be ashamed, but must glorify God with this name. For it is the time for the judgment to begin out from the household of God. But if it begins out from us first, what will be the outcome for those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? And if the righteous are saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So then also those who suffer according to the will of God must entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good.

KJV 1900King James Version

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 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. 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. 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. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 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? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 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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