1 Peter 2:18

1 Peter 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
• New International Version (NIV)Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.
• New Living Translation (NLT)You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.

Context of 1 Peter 2:18

16Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20For 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.

1 Peter 2:18 word by word

Οἱ οἰκέται ὑποτασσόμενοι ἐν παντὶ φόβῳ τοῖς δεσπόταις, οὐ μόνον τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς καὶ ἐπιεικέσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς σκολιοῖς.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Servantsοἰκέτηςoiketēs · slaveG3610
• subjectὑποτάσσωhupotassō · to subjectG5293
• toδεσπότηςdespotēs · masterG1203
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• fearφόβοςphobos · fearG5401
• notοὐou · noG3756
• onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
• to the goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• gentleἐπιεικήςepieikēs · gentleG1933
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• to the frowardσκολιόςskolios · crookedG4646

Cross-references for 1 Peter 2:18

• Ephesians 6:5Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,
• Colossians 3:22Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
• 1 Timothy 6:1Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.
• 2 Corinthians 10:1I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!—
• Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• James 3:17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
• Psalms 101:4A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.
• Proverbs 3:32for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence.
• Proverbs 8:13The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
• Proverbs 10:32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.
• Proverbs 11:20Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Servants, be subject - See the notes on Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22; (note); and Titus 2:9; (note). With all fear - With all submission and reverence. The good and gentle - Those who are ever just in their commands, never requiring more work than is necessary or proper, and always allowing sufficient food and sufficient time. The froward - · The crooked, perverse, unreasonable morose, and austere. Your time belongs to your master; obey him in every…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Servants, be subject to your masters - On the duty here enjoined, see the notes at Ephesians 6:5-9. The Greek word used here ( ̓́ oiketai) is not the same which is employed in Ephesians, ( ͂ douloiThe word here means properly “domestics” - those employed about a house, or living in the same house - from ̓͂ oikos“house.” These persons might have been slaves, or might not. The word would apply to them, whether they were hired, or whether they were owned as…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. 18Many slaves in the Roman Empire held responsible positions and earned a decent income. However, most slaves were treated harshly, and all slaves lacked legal status and basic rights. with all respect (literally with all fear): Peter might be urging slaves to fear God (see 2:17; compare 1:17) or fear the master's punishment. However, he often uses this kind of language to describe the respectful attitude that Christians should show toward others (3:16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Servants--Greek, "household servants": not here the Greek for "slaves." Probably including freedmen still remaining in their master's house. Masters were not commonly Christians: he therefore mentions only the duties of the servants. These were then often persecuted by their unbelieving masters. Peter's special object seems to be to teach them submission, whatever the character of the masters might be. Paul not having this as his prominent design…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 2:18

• Commandments
• Example
• Fear of God
• Meekness
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Bishop
• Chosen
• Cloke
• Disallow
• Fleshly
• Offer
• Sincere
• Spiritual
• Submit
• Thanksgiving

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