1 Peter 4:6

1 Peter 4:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
• New International Version (NIV)For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
• New Living Translation (NLT)That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit.

Context of 1 Peter 4:6

4With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. 7The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:6 word by word

εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ νεκροῖς εὐηγγελίσθη, ἵνα κριθῶσιν μὲν κατὰ ἀνθρώπους σαρκί, ζῶσιν δὲ κατὰ θεὸν πνεύματι.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• this causeοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• was the gospel preachedεὐαγγελίζομαιeuaggelizō · to speak good newsG2097
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• to them that are deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• they might be judgedκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• in the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• butδέde · thenG1161
• liveζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• in the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151

Cross-references for 1 Peter 4:6

• 1 Peter 3:19in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
• John 5:25"Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
• 1 Peter 4:1Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
• Matthew 24:9"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.
• Romans 8:9You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
• 1 Corinthians 11:31But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.
• Romans 8:2For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
• Galatians 2:19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
• Galatians 5:25If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
• Ephesians 2:3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
• Revelation 14:18And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe."

Commentaries on 1 Peter 4:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead - This is a most difficult verse; the best translations I have seen of it are the following: - "For this indeed was the effect of the preaching of the Gospel to the dead, (the unconverted Gentiles), that some will be punished as carnal men; but others, (those converted to Christianity), lead a spiritual life unto God." - Wakefield. "For this purpose hath the Gospel been preached even to the dead, (i.e…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6For, for this cause - The expression, “For, for this cause,” refers to an end to be reached, or an object to be gained, or a reason why anything referred to is done. The end or reason why the thing referred to here, to wit, that “the gospel was preached to the dead,” was done, is stated in the subsequent part of the verse to have been “that they might be judged,” etc. It was with reference to this, or in order that this might be, that the gospel was…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Peter refers to people who are now dead but heard the good news about Jesus when they were alive. He is not teaching that people have a chance to repent after death. If these people responded with faith when they heard the message, they can trust God. Even though they had to die like all people, they will live forever with God in the Spirit.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. For--giving the reason for 1Pe 4:5, "judge the dead." gospel preached also to ... dead--as well as to them now living, and to them that shall be found alive at the coming of the Judge. "Dead" must be taken in the same literal sense as in 1Pe 4:5, which refutes the explanation "dead" in sins. Moreover, the absence of the Greek article does not necessarily restrict the sense of "dead" to particular dead persons, for there is no Greek article in 1Pe 4:5…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 4:6

• Commandments
• Gospel
• Holiness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Begin
• Cover
• Ungodly
• Cause
• Charity
• End
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Hades

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