1 Peter 4:17

1 Peter 4:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
• English Standard Version (ESV)For 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?
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
• New Living Translation (NLT)For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?

Context of 1 Peter 4:17

15If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

1 Peter 4:17 word by word

ὅτι ὁ καιρὸς τοῦ ἄρξασθαι τὸ κρίμα ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ θεοῦ· εἰ δὲ πρῶτον ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν, τί τὸ τέλος τῶν ἀπειθούντων τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ εὐαγγελίῳ;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• the timeκαιρόςkairos · time/right timeG2540
• that judgmentκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917
• must beginἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
• atἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the houseοἶκοςoikos · house: householdG3624
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• andδέde · thenG1161
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• firstπρῶτονprōton · firstG4412
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• shall the endτέλοςtelos · goal/taxG5056
• of them that obey notἀπειθέωapeitheō · to disobeyG544
• the gospelεὐαγγέλιονeuaggelion · gospelG2098

Cross-references for 1 Peter 4:17

• Isaiah 10:12When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.
• Jeremiah 25:29See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my Name, and will you indeed go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword on all who live on the earth, declares the Lord Almighty.’
• Jeremiah 49:12This is what the Lord says: “If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, why should you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, but must drink it.
• Ezekiel 9:6Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple.
• Malachi 3:5“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.
• Matthew 3:9And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
• Luke 12:47“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.
• Luke 23:31For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
• Matthew 11:20Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
• Luke 10:12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
• Hebrews 2:2For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,
• Hebrews 12:24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
• 1 Peter 2:8and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
• Galatians 3:1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
• Galatians 5:7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
• 2 Thessalonians 1:8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 4:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Judgment must begin at the house of God - Our Lord had predicted that, previously to the destruction of Jerusalem, his own followers would have to endure various calamities; see Matthew 24:9, Matthew 24:21, Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:12, Mark 13:13; John 16:2, etc. Here his true disciples are called the house or family of God. That the converted Jews suffered much from their own brethren, the zealots, or factions into which the Jews were at that time divided…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17For the time is come - That is, this is now to be expected. There is reason to think that this trial will now occur, and there is a propriety that it should be made. Probably the apostle referred to some indications then apparent that this was about to take place. That judgment must begin - The word “judgment” here ( ́ krima) seems to mean “the severe trial which would determine character.” It refers to such calamities as would settle the question whether…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. 17God’s judgment is often described as beginning with God’s own household, meaning his people. This judgment serves to purify them (Jeremiah 25:29; Ezekiel 9:5–6; Malachi 3:1–6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Another ground of consolation to Christians. All must pass under the judgment of God; God's own household first, their chastisement being here, for which they should glorify Him as a proof of their membership in His family, and a pledge of their escape from the end of those whom the last judgment shall find disobedient to the Gospel. the time--Greek, "season," "fit time." judgment must begin at the house of God--the Church of living believers. Peter…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 4:17

• Church
• Gospel
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• House of God
• Begin
• Cover
• Ungodly
• Affliction
• Charity
• Damn; Damnation; Damnable
• Parousia
• Peter, the First Epistle of

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