1 Peter 2:20

1 Peter 2:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
• New International Version (NIV)But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

Context of 1 Peter 2:20

18You who are slaves must obey your masters. Always respect them. Do that to every kind of master. Obey those who are good and kind. But also obey masters who are not fair to you. 19This makes God happy. Maybe your master will punish you when you have done nothing wrong. If you know that you are serving God, continue to be patient and brave. But if you do something wrong, then your master ought to punish you. That is only fair. Even if you are brave when he is cruel to you, nobody should praise you for that. But your master may punish you even when you have done good things. Then God will be happy if you are patient and brave. 21When God chose you to be his servants, he wanted you to be brave like that. Christ had trouble and pain on your behalf. He has shown you how you should live when trouble comes. 22The Bible says this: ‘He never did anything that was wrong. He never said anything that was not true.’

1 Peter 2:20 word by word

ποῖον γὰρ κλέος εἰ ἁμαρτάνοντες καὶ κολαφιζόμενοι ὑπομενεῖτε; ἀλλ᾽ εἰ ἀγαθοποιοῦντες καὶ πάσχοντες ὑπομενεῖτε, τοῦτο χάρις παρὰ θεῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• whatποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
• gloryκλέοςkleos · creditG2811
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• whenκαίkai · andG2532
• ye be buffetedκολαφίζωkolaphizō · to beatG2852
• for your faultsἁμαρτάνωhamartanō · to sinG264
• ye shall take it patientlyὑπομένωhupomenō · to remain/endureG5278
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• when ye do wellἀγαθοποιέωagathopoieō · to do goodG15
• sufferπάσχωpaschō pathō penthō · to sufferG3958
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• acceptableχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• withπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for 1 Peter 2:20

• 1 Peter 3:14But somebody might give you trouble, even when you do what is right. If that happens, God will bless you. So do not be afraid of what people may do to you. Do not worry about it.
• 1 Peter 4:14People may insult you because you belong to Christ. But God will bless you when that happens. It shows that the Holy Spirit is with you. He is God's great Spirit.
• Matthew 5:47If you are only kind to your friends, then you are not doing anything special. Even people who do not believe in God do that.
• Matthew 26:67Then some of them spat into Jesus' face. They also hit him with their fists.
• Mark 14:65Then some of the men began to spit on Jesus. They covered his eyes with a cloth and they hit him many times with their fists. They said, ‘Show us that you are a prophet! Tell us who hit you!’ Then the guards took hold of Jesus and they beat him.
• 1 Corinthians 4:11Until now, we continue to be hungry and thirsty. Our clothes have become old. Sometimes people hit us for no reason. We do not have our own homes.
• 1 Peter 2:19This makes God happy. Maybe your master will punish you when you have done nothing wrong. If you know that you are serving God, continue to be patient and brave.
• Matthew 5:10Happy are the people who do what is right but other people hurt them because of it. The kingdom of heaven belongs to people like that.
• Romans 12:1My Christian friends, God has been very kind to us. Because of that, I really want you to serve God with your whole life. Offer your bodies to him like a sacrifice that continues to live. Serve him with everything that you have and that will please him. That is the true way to worship God.
• Ephesians 5:10You should learn more and more to do the things that please the Lord.
• Philippians 4:18Epaphroditus has brought the gifts that you sent to me. I have received those gifts, so that I no longer need anything. You have sent me more than enough. Your gifts are like a sacrifice with a nice smell that you have offered to God. God accepts that kind of sacrifice. It makes him very happy.
• Luke 6:32Do you only love people who love you? God will not praise you just for doing that! Even bad people love those people who love them.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 2:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20For what glory is it - It appears from this that the poor Christians, and especially those who had been converted to Christianity while in a state of slavery, were often grievously abused, they were buffeted because they were Christians, and because they would not join with their masters in idolatrous worship.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20For what glory is it - What honor or credit would it be. If, when ye be buffeted for your faults - That is, if you are punished when you deserve it. The word “buffet” ( ́ kolaphizō) - means, to strike with the fist; and then to strike in any way; to maltreat, Matthew 26:67; Mark 14:65; 1 Corinthians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 12:7. Perhaps there may be a reference here to the manner in which servants were commonly treated, or the kind of pun ishment to which…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 Servants in those days generally were slaves, and had heathen masters, who often used them cruelly; yet the apostle directs them to be subject to the masters placed over them by Providence, with a fear to dishonour or offend God. And not only to those pleased with reasonable service, but to the severe, and those angry without cause. The sinful misconduct of one relation, does not justify sinful behaviour in the other; the servant is bound to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-20A slave was legally bound to a master and could not change his or her situation. In contrast, a modern employee has the right to stop working for an employer who is cruel. Some employees, however, may not be able to leave their jobs. In those cases, Peter’s advice to slaves can also apply to employees today.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. what--Greek, "what kind of." glory--what peculiar merit. buffeted--the punishment of slaves, and suddenly inflicted [Bengel]. this is--Some oldest manuscripts read, "for." Then the translation is, "But if when ... ye take it patiently (it is a glory), for this is acceptable." acceptable--Greek, "thankworthy," as in 1Pe 2:19.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 2:20

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Commandments
• Example
• Meekness
• Patience
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bishop
• Cheek
• Chosen
• Cloke
• Disallow
• Fleshly
• Offer
• Sincere

Commentaries on 1 Peter 2

• 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
• Family Bible 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