1 Peter 4:19
in 1 Peter 4So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator.
KJV
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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This verse in 1 Peter 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God - That is, who endure the kind of sufferings that he, by his providence, shall appoint. Compare 1Pe 3:17; 1Pe 4:15-16. Commit the keeping of their souls - to him. Since there is so much danger; since there is no one else that can keep them; and since he is a Being so faithful, let them commit all their interests to him. Compare Psa 37:5. The word “souls” here (ψυχὰς psuchas) is equivalent to themselves.
This site's exposition
their faithful Creator
Sufferers entrust their souls to their faithful Creator, the verb paratithemi naming a deposit left with someone reliable. God is trusted here as Creator, the one who made them, and they continue to do good while they suffer.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Therefore, if this is so, he says, who are afflicted according to will of God, so that we do not become sluggish, but rather entrust their souls to a faithful Creator by doing good. He said, according to the will of God, either signifying that …
The Medieval Church1 voice
By the words "the will of God," the apostle shows either that our sufferings do not occur without the providence of God, but are sent by Him as a trial, or that, suffering for His will, we must entrust to Him also the ending of …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Commit to him their souls - (Whatever becomes of the body) as a sacred depositum. In well doing - Be this your care, to do and suffer well: He will take care of the rest. As unto a faithful Creator - In whose truth, love, and power, ye may safely trust.
(3.) The only way to keep the soul well is to commit it to God, in well-doing. Commit your souls to God by solemn dedication, prayer, and patient perseverance in well-doing, Rom. ii. (4.) Good people, when they are in affliction, have great encouragement to commit their souls to God, because he is their Creator, and faithful in all his promises.
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
God's will that the believer should suffer (1Pe 4:17), is for his good. One oldest manuscript and Vulgate read, "in well-doings"; contrast ill-doings, 1Pe 4:15. Our committing of ourselves to God is to be, not in indolent and passive quietism, but accompanied with active well-doings. faithful--to His covenant promises.
Suffer according to the will of God - A man suffers according to the will of God who suffers for righteousness’ sake; and who, being reviled, reviles not again. Commit the keeping of their souls - Place their lives confidently in his hand, who, being their Creator, will also be their preserver, and keep that safely which is committed to his trust. God is here represented as faithful, because he will always fulfill his promises, and withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly. But they had no reason to hope that he would care for their lives and souls unless they continued in well-doing. He who is employed in God’s work will have God’s protection. The path of duty ever was, and ever will be, the only way of safety. 1. The apostle recommends fervent charity - unfeigned love both to God and man. It is well said of this grace that it is a universal virtue which ought to precede, accompany, and follow, all others. A charity which has God for its principle, and Jesus Christ for its pattern, never faileth. If our charity be extensive enough to cover all the defects of our neighbor in bearing with them; that of God is sufficient to cover all the sins of a sincere penitent by blotting them out. If we ought to be charitable to all, it is after the example of our heavenly Father, who is loving to every man, and hateth nothing that he has made. 2 The difficulty of escaping the corruption that is in the world is great; and, consequently, the danger of losing our souls. In this great work, watchfulness, prayer; faith, and obedience, are indispensably necessary. He who does not walk with God here cannot see nor enjoy him hereafter.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὥστε | hoste | Therefore | G5620 → | |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πάσχοντες | paschontes | suffering | G3958 → | 42 times |
| κατὰ | kata | according to | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θέλημα | thelema | will | G2307 → | 62 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| πιστῷ | pisto | to [the] faithful | G4103 → | 67 times |
| κτίστῃ | ktiste | Creator | G2939 → | |
| παρατιθέσθωσαν | paratithesthosan | they should commit | G3908 → | |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ψυχὰς | psuchas | souls | G5590 → | 103 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἀγαθοποιΐᾳ.¶ | agathopoiia | well doing. | G16 → |
ὥστεTherefore
hosteG5620 →
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
πάσχοντεςsuffering
paschontesG3958 →42 times
κατὰaccording to
kataG2596 →468 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
θέλημαwill
thelemaG2307 →62 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
πιστῷto [the] faithful
pistoG4103 →67 times
κτίστῃCreator
ktisteG2939 →
παρατιθέσθωσανthey should commit
paratithesthosanG3908 →
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
ψυχὰςsouls
psuchasG5590 →103 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ἀγαθοποιΐᾳ.¶well doing.
agathopoiiaG16 →
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
Psalms 37:5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.
it leads to
- Proverbs 16:3
Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.
- 1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
- Philippians 4:6–7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Matthew 6:25
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more…
- Psalms 55:22
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
- Proverbs 16:3
Through
Psalms 138:8The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me. O LORD, Your loving devotion endures forever— do not abandon the works of Your hands.
it leads to
- Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
- Psalms 57:2
I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:24
The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.
- Philippians 1:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
About 1 Peter
This page draws on 9 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); Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; 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.