1 Peter 4:14
in 1 Peter 4If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 1 Peter 4
Commentary
11 notes on this verseFor the Church alone sustains with purity the reproach of those who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, and endure all sorts of punishments, and are put to death because of the love which they bear to God, and their confession of His Son; often weakened indeed, yet immediately increasing her members, and becoming whole again, after the same manner as her type, Lot's wife, who became a pillar of salt.
This site's exposition
insulted for the name of Christ
Those insulted for the name of Christ are blessed, the beatitude of Matthew 5:11. The phrase the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you echoes Isaiah 11:2, resting on the Messiah, now resting on those who suffer.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Clement of AlexandriaFrom the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus · Written before 215.
proposed
"Rejoice," it is said, "that you are partakers in the sufferings of Christ:" that is, if you are righteous, you suffer for righteousness' sake, as Christ suffered for righteousness. "Happy are you, for the Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of His glory and virtue, rests on you." This possessive "His" signifies also an an angelic spirit: inasmuch as the glory of God those are, through whom, according to faith and righteousness, He is glorified, to honourable glory, according to the advancement of the saints who are brought in.
"of the name of Christ." Because you are called Christians. "if you are insulted." It must be understood: Who, to be. The meaning: Who seems to be blasphemed by the spirit of God among the wicked, but is glorified in you. How? Because while they …
The Medieval Church1 voice
By the ungodly He is blasphemed, but by you He is glorified. Why? Because when their accusation against you proves to be false, shame will befall them, and glory will be yours.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In such case he asserts, Happy are you, the reason of which is, "Because you have the spirit of God with you, to fortify and comfort you; and the Spirit of God is also the Spirit of glory, that will carry you through all, bring you off gloriously, and prepare and seal you up for eternal glory.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
If ye are reproached for Christ - Reproaches and cruel mockings were always one part of their sufferings. The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you - The same Spirit which was upon Christ, Luke iv, 18. He is here termed, the Spirit of glory, conquering all reproach and shame, and the Spirit of God, whose Son, Jesus Christ is.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
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 honor 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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Let your suffering be on account of Christ, not on account of evil-doing (1Pe 2:20). reproached--Reproach affects noble minds more than loss of goods, or even bodily sufferings. the spirit . . . upon you--the same Spirit as rested on Christ (Lu 4:18). "The Spirit of glory" is His Spirit, for He is the "Lord of glory" (Jas 2:1).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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 Mat 5:11. The sense of the word “happy” here is the same as “blessed” in Mat 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 Joh 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 words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| ὀνειδίζεσθε | oneidizesthe | you are insulted | G3679 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ὀνόματι | onomati | [the] name | G3686 → | |
| Χριστοῦ, | christou | of Christ, | G5547 → | 523 times |
| μακάριοι· | makarioi | [you are] blessed; | G3107 → | |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δόξης | doxes | of glory | G1391 → | 165 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| πνεῦμα | pneuma | [the] Spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἀναπαύεται | anapauetai | rests | G373 → |
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
ὀνειδίζεσθεyou are insulted
oneidizestheG3679 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ὀνόματι[the] name
onomatiG3686 →
Χριστοῦ,of Christ,
christouG5547 →523 times
μακάριοι·[you are] blessed;
makarioiG3107 →
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
δόξηςof glory
doxesG1391 →165 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
πνεῦμα[the] Spirit
pneumaG4151 →378 times
ἐφ᾽upon
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἀναπαύεταιrests
anapauetaiG373 →
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
James 1:12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- 1 Peter 1:6–8
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials
- Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful…
- James 5:11
See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
- Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- 1 Peter 5:10
Through
Matthew 5:11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
it leads to
- Luke 21:17
And you will be hated by everyone because of My name.
- Mark 13:13
You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- Matthew 24:9
Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
- Luke 21:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
About 1 Peter
This page draws on 10 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); Clement of Alexandria, From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book 4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 Peter and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Peter.