1 Peter 4:18

1 Peter 4:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
• New International Version (NIV)And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

Context of 1 Peter 4:18

16but if anyone suffers [ill-treatment] as a Christian [because of his belief], he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God [because he is considered worthy to suffer] in this name. 17For it is the time [destined] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not respect or believe or obey the gospel of God? And if it is difficult for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the godless and the sinner? 19Therefore, those who are ill-treated and suffer in accordance with the will of God must [continue to] do right and commit their souls [for safe-keeping] to the faithful Creator.

1 Peter 4:18 word by word

καὶ εἰ ὁ δίκαιος μόλις σῴζεται, ὁ ἀσεβὴς καὶ ἁμαρτωλὸς ποῦ φανεῖται;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• the righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• scarcelyμόλιςmolis · hardlyG3433
• be savedσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• whereποῦpou · where?G4226
• shallφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
• the ungodlyἀσεβήςasebēs · ungodlyG765
• the sinnerἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268

Cross-references for 1 Peter 4:18

• 1 Peter 5:8Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.
• Proverbs 11:31If the righteous will be rewarded on the earth [with godly blessings], How much more [will] the wicked and the sinner [be repaid with punishment]!
• Jeremiah 25:29For behold, I am beginning to work disaster in the city which is called by My Name, and shall you go unpunished? You will not be exempt from punishment, for I am calling for a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,” says the Lord of hosts.’
• Ezekiel 18:24“But when the righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits sin and acts in accordance with all the repulsive things that the wicked man does, will he live? All of his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered because of the treachery that he has committed and for his sin which he has committed; for them he shall die.
• Zechariah 13:9And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will listen and answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ And they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
• Matthew 24:22And if those days [of tribulation] had not been cut short, no human life would be saved; but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened.
• Mark 13:20And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose [for Himself], He shortened the days.
• Luke 23:31For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
• Acts 14:22strengthening and establishing the hearts of the disciples; encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, saying, “It is through many tribulations and hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God.”
• Acts 27:24and said, ‘Stop being afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has given you [the lives of] all those who are sailing with you.’
• 1 Corinthians 10:12Therefore let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous], take care that he does not fall [into sin and condemnation].
• Hebrews 4:1Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still remains and is freely offered today, let us fear, in case any one of you may seem to come short of reaching it or think he has come too late.
• Hebrews 10:38But My righteous one [the one justified by faith] shall live by faith [respecting man’s relationship to God and trusting Him]; And if he draws back [shrinking in fear], My soul has no delight in him.
• Psalms 1:4The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so, But they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away.
• Romans 1:18For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth,
• Romans 5:6While we were still helpless [powerless to provide for our salvation], at the right time Christ died [as a substitute] for the ungodly.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 4:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18And if the righteous scarcely be saved - If it shall be with extreme difficulty that the Christians shall escape from Jerusalem, when the Roman armies shall come against it with the full commission to destroy it, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Where shall the proud Pharisaic boaster in his own outside holiness, and the profligate transgressor of the laws of God, show themselves, as having escaped the Divine vengeance? The Christians…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18And if the righteous scarcely be saved - If they are saved with difficulty. The word used here ( ́ molis) occurs in the following places: Acts 14:18, “scarce restrained they the people;” Acts 27:7, “and scarce were come over against Cnidus;” 1 Peter 4:8, “and hardly passing it;” 1 Peter 4:16, “we had much work to come by the boat” - literally, we were able with difficulty to get the boat; Romans 5:7, “scarcely for a righteous man will one die;” and in the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-19Verses 12-19 By patience and fortitude in suffering, by dependence on the promises of God, and keeping to the word the Holy Spirit hath revealed, the Holy Spirit is glorified; but by the contempt and reproaches cast upon believers, he is evil spoken of, and is blasphemed. One would think such cautions as these were needless to Christians. But their enemies falsely charged them with foul crimes. And even the best of men need to be warned against the worst…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-19Peter gives Christians one final instruction about how to face the trials that will surely come.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. scarcely--Compare "so as by fire," 1Co 3:15; having to pass through trying chastisements, as David did for his sin. "The righteous" man has always more or less of trial, but the issue is certain, and the entrance into the kingdom abundant at last. The "scarcely" marks the severity of the ordeal, and the unlikelihood (in a mere human point of view) of the righteous sustaining it; but the righteousness of Christ and God's everlasting covenant make it…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 4:18

• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Begin
• Cover
• Ungodly
• Charity
• Foreknow; Foreknowledge
• Peter, the First Epistle of
• Peter, the Second Epistle of
• Trinity
• Proverbs, Book of
• create, created, creation, creator

Commentaries on 1 Peter 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings