1 Peter 4: Partakers of Christ's Sufferings

1 Peter 4 (WEB)

1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;

2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.

4 They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming:

5 who will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

6 For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.

7 But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.

8 And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.

9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

10 As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

11 If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

12 Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.

13 But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.

15 For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men’s matters.

16 But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.

17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God?

18 “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?”

19 Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.

1 Peter 4 (KJV)

1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

13 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.

14 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.

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.

16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

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?

18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

19 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.

1 Peter 4 (ASV)

1 Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

2 that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

3 For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries:

4 wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

5 who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead.

6 For unto this end was the gospel preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer:

8 above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:

9 using hospitality one to another without murmuring:

10 according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;

11 if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

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:

13 but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy.

14 If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you.

15 For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men’s matters:

16 but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name.

17 For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?

18 And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?

19 Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator.

Summary

Since Christ suffered in the flesh, believers are to arm themselves with the same resolve, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin, no longer living for human passions but for the will of God. They have spent enough time in the old life of sensuality and idolatry; now their former companions are surprised and even abusive when they no longer plunge into the same excesses, yet those mockers will give account to the One ready to judge the living and the dead. Because the end of all things is near, Peter urges sober-minded, self-controlled prayer, earnest love that covers a multitude of sins, hospitality without grumbling, and faithful stewardship of God's grace, each using their gift to serve others, so that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Then Peter returns to suffering: believers should not be surprised at the fiery trial that comes to test them, as though something strange were happening. Instead, they are to rejoice insofar as they share Christ's sufferings, so that they may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If insulted for the name of Christ, they are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon them. Let none suffer as a wrongdoer, but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but glorify God in that name. Judgment begins with the household of God, and if it begins with the faithful, what will become of those who do not obey the gospel? Therefore those who suffer according to God's will are to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while continuing to do good.

Main Characters

The believers — Those who have broken with the old life of sin, now living for God's will, loving and serving one another, and entrusting their souls to God while suffering for doing good.
Christ — The one who suffered in the flesh and whose sufferings believers share, whose glory will be revealed, and through whom God is glorified in all things.
The former companions and mockers — The Gentile neighbors surprised and abusive when believers no longer join their excesses, who will give account to the One ready to judge the living and the dead.
God the faithful Creator — The One ready to judge, who is glorified through faithful service, and to whom suffering believers are to entrust their souls while continuing to do good.

Key Verse

1 Peter 4:13 (WEB)

But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

Lessons Learned

Following Christ means a decisive break with the old life of sin to live for the will of God.
Because the end is near, believers are to be sober in prayer, fervent in love, and faithful in serving one another with God's grace.
Fiery trials are not strange but a sharing in Christ's sufferings and a cause for rejoicing.
Suffering as a Christian is no shame but an occasion to glorify God and to entrust the soul to a faithful Creator.

Break decisively with the old life. Believers should “no longer… live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:2, WEB). New life means a new direction.
Love covers a multitude of sins. “Above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8, WEB). Fervent love holds the community together.
Serve with the gift God gives. “As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another” (1 Peter 4:10, WEB). Every believer is a steward of God's grace for others' good.
Trials are not strange. “Don’t be astonished at the fiery trial… as though a strange thing happened to you” (1 Peter 4:12, WEB). Suffering is to be expected in following Christ, not a sign of God's absence.
Entrust your soul to a faithful Creator. Those who suffer in God's will should “entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:19, WEB). We rest our lives in the hands of the One who made and keeps us.

What does it mean to “arm yourselves” with the same mind as Christ, who suffered in the flesh (4:1)?
How does the nearness of the end shape the way Peter tells believers to live and serve in verses 7-11?
Why does Peter tell believers not to be surprised by fiery trials, and how can such trials be a cause for joy?
What is the difference between suffering as a wrongdoer and suffering as a Christian (4:15-16)?
What would it look like for you to “entrust your soul to a faithful Creator” (4:19) in a current trial while continuing to do good?

To arm ourselves with Christ's mind is to adopt his readiness to suffer rather than sin, resolving to live no longer for human passions but for God's will (4:1-2). It treats the willingness to endure hardship for righteousness as a weapon against the pull of the old life.
Believing the end is near, Peter calls for sober prayer, fervent love, ungrudging hospitality, and faithful use of gifts, all so that God may be glorified through Christ (4:7-11). The expectation of Christ's return fuels not panic but love, service, and steady devotion.
Trials are not strange because believers share Christ's sufferings; they are following a crucified Lord (4:12-13). Joy is possible because present suffering is bound to future glory, and the Spirit of glory rests on those reproached for Christ's name (4:14).
Suffering for wrongdoing is just consequence and brings no honor (4:15), but suffering simply for bearing the name of Christ is no shame at all (4:16). Peter wants believers to make sure any reproach they bear is for Christ's sake, not their own sin, and then to glorify God in it.
This is a personal-application question. Entrusting the soul to a faithful Creator means surrendering outcomes to God while persevering in doing good (4:19). Invite members to name a present trial and one act of faithful goodness to continue in it, resting in God's faithfulness rather than demanding relief.