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?”
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
• New Living Translation (NLT)And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”

Context of 1 Peter 4:18

16Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" 19Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

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-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
• Proverbs 11:31If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!
• Jeremiah 25:29For behold, I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the Lord of hosts.'
• Ezekiel 18:24But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
• Zechariah 13:9And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The Lord is my God.'"
• Matthew 24:22And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
• Mark 13:20And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.
• Luke 23:31For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
• Acts 14:22strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
• Acts 27:24and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.'
• 1 Corinthians 10:12Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
• Hebrews 4:1Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.
• Hebrews 10:38but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
• Psalms 1:4The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
• Romans 1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
• Romans 5:6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died 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