Bible Strands
1 Peter 4:15
Indeed, none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or wrongdoer, or even as a meddler.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Peter writes to dispersed Christian communities facing hostility, positioning this warning between two directives about enduring persecution for identifying with Christ.
The words — Μὴ (Mē) means "not," and πασχέτω (paschetō) means "should suffer," creating a negative command that forbids enduring punishment for one's own crimes.
The thread — The prohibition against acting as a "meddler" parallels Paul’s warnings against idle busybodies in 2 Thessalonians 3:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, and 1 Timothy 5:13.
Why it lands — It requires readers to distinguish between punishment for personal misconduct and punishment for bearing the Christian name, instructing them to reject shame only in the latter case.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
Cross-references
- 2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11 and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.
- 1 Timothy 5:13 At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.
- 1 Peter 2:19 For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended.
- 1 Peter 3:17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
- 2 Timothy 2:9 for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!
- Matthew 5:11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.