1 Peter 1:17
in 1 Peter 1Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear:
KJV
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
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This verse in 1 Peter 1
Commentary
15 notes on this verseAnd therefore says he: "Spend the time of your sojourning here," not in luxury, or fastidiousness, nor haughtiness of heart, but in fear. On this earth you have time not eternity, do you use the time as those who must pass hence.
This site's exposition
judges each one’s work impartially
The Father the readers call on also judges each one’s work impartially, so the fear commanded is the reverence of children toward a holy Judge. Their stay as foreigners takes up the exile language of 1:1, the whole of earthly life lived as guests.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
And if you call upon the Father, him which without respect of persons, judges according to every one's work: in fear of turning, you spend your time in your dwelling. Knowing that not with corruptible things, gold or silver, you are redeemed from your vain …
For each individual lives by his own faith, nor is there exception of persons with God; since it is not hearers of the law who are justified by the Lord, but doers, according to what the apostle withal says. Therefore, if you have the right of a priest in your own person, in cases of necessity, it behoves you to have likewise the discipline of a priest whenever it may be necessary to have the fight of a priest.
If the one whom we call the Father is also our judge, and if he pays no attention to classes of persons, let us hasten to do our best in the time of our sojourn here on earth, with all fear and holy behavior. In …
Such injunctions of righteousness uttered by those who are conversant with worldly wisdom are not to be refused. Knowing, then, the duty of each, "pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: for as much as ye know that ye were not deemed with corruptible things, such as silver or gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." "For," says Peter, "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." We have as a limit the cross of the Lord, by which we are fenced and hedged about from our former sins. Therefore, being regenerated, let us fix ourselves to it in truth, and return to sobriety, and sanctify ourselves...
The Medieval Church1 voice
If the Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, what are we to think about this passage? For if it is the Father who is indicated here, how is he a judge, judging everyone according to his work? But if …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church4 voices
And if you call on the Father. Saying in prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven (Matt. 6).
Who without respect of persons judges, etc. Not like an earthly father who is accustomed to pardon his erring children more indulgently than his servants. But the Father God is of such justice and piety, that He transforms even humble and obedient servants, indeed even …
Conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your sojourning. Lest through idleness and negligence you become unworthy of such a Father, and while you are secure in the present sojourn, you may not attain the promised happiness of the homeland.
Scripture distinguishes a twofold fear, one — preliminary, the other — perfect. The preliminary fear, which is also the foundational one, consists in someone turning to an honorable life out of dread of accountability for one's deeds, while the perfect one consists in someone, for …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And if ye call on the Father,.... Of Christ, and of all the saints; or "seeing" ye do. This is a fresh argument, engaging to holiness of life and conversation.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And if ye call on the Father - That is, if you are true Christians, or truly pious - piety being represented in the Scriptures as calling on God, or as the worship of God. Compare Act 9:11; Gen 4:26; 1Ki 18:24; Psa 116:17; 2Ki 5:11; 1Ch 16:8; Joe 2:32; Rom 10:13; Zep 3:9; 1Co 1:2; Act 2:21. The word “Father” here is used evidently not to denote the Father in contradistinction to the Son, but as referring to God as the Father of the universe.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Lu 20:21; properly said of a judge not biassed in judgment by respect of persons) judgeth," &c. The Father judgeth by His Son, His Representative, exercising His delegated authority (Joh 5:22). This marks the harmonious and complete unity of the Trinity. work--Each man's work is one complete whole, whether good or bad.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
And if ye call on the Father - Seeing ye invoke the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and your Father through Christ, and profess to be obedient children, and sojourners here below for a short time only, see that ye maintain a godly reverence for this Father, walking in all his testimonies blameless. Who without respect of persons - God is said to be no respecter of persons for this reason among many others, that, being infinitely righteous, he must be infinitely impartial. He cannot prefer one to another, because he has nothing to hope or fear from any of his creatures. All partialities among men spring from one or other of these two principles, hope or fear; God can feel neither of them, and therefore God can be no respecter of persons. He approves or disapproves of men according to their moral character. He pities all, and provides salvation for all, but he loves those who resemble him in his holiness; and he loves them in proportion to that resemblance, i.e. the more of his image he sees in any, the more he loves him; and e contra. And every man’s work will be the evidence of his conformity or nonconformity to God, and according to this evidence will God judge him. Here, then, is no respect of persons; God’s judgment will be according to a man’s work, and a man’s work or conduct will be according to the moral state of his mind. No favouritism can prevail in the day of judgment; nothing will pass there but holiness of heart and life. A righteousness imputed, and not possessed and practiced, will not avail where God judgeth according to every man’s work. It would be well if those sinners and spurious believers who fancy themselves safe and complete in the righteousness of Christ, while impure and unholy in themselves, would think of this testimony of the apostle.
The words behind it
19 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἰ | ei | if | G1487 → | 508 times |
| πατέρα | patera | [as] Father | G3962 → | 410 times |
| ἐπικαλεῖσθε | epikaleisthe | you call on | G1941 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀπροσωπολήμπτως | aprosopolemptos | impartially | G678 → | |
| κρίνοντα | krinonta | judging | G2919 → | 114 times |
| κατὰ | kata | according to | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑκάστου | hekastou | of each | G1538 → | |
| ἔργον, | ergon | work, | G2041 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| φόβῳ | phobo | fear | G5401 → | 46 times |
| τὸν | ton | during the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παροικίας | paroikias | sojourn | G3940 → | |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| χρόνον | chronon | time | G5550 → | 53 times |
| ἀναστράφητε· | anastraphete | do conduct yourselves; | G390 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἰif
eiG1487 →508 times
πατέρα[as] Father
pateraG3962 →410 times
ἐπικαλεῖσθεyou call on
epikaleistheG1941 →
τὸνthe [One]
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀπροσωπολήμπτωςimpartially
aprosopolemptosG678 →
κρίνονταjudging
krinontaG2919 →114 times
κατὰaccording to
kataG2596 →468 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἑκάστουof each
hekastouG1538 →
ἔργον,work,
ergonG2041 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
φόβῳfear
phoboG5401 →46 times
τὸνduring the
tonG3588 →19766 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
παροικίαςsojourn
paroikiasG3940 →
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
χρόνονtime
chrononG5550 →53 times
ἀναστράφητε·do conduct yourselves;
anastrapheteG390 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
- 1 Peter 2:11
Through
Philippians 2:12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
- Luke 13:23–24
“Lord,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answered,
- 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
- Hebrews 4:11
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
Through
Matthew 6:9So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
it leads to
- Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.”
- Luke 11:1–4
One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
- Revelation 4:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies22
On this verse
On this chapter
About 1 Peter
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Epistle 63; Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 3; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON 1 PETER; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 Peter; Tertullian, On Exhortation to Chastity and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Peter.