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Selected Verse: 1 Peter 3:14 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| 1Pe 3:14 |
King James |
But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
But and if--"But if even." "The promises of this life extend only so far as it is expedient for us that they should be fulfilled" [CALVIN]. So he proceeds to state the exceptions to the promise (Pe1 3:10), and how the truly wise will behave in such exceptional cases. "If ye should suffer"; if it should so happen; "suffer," a milder word than harm.
for righteousness--"not the suffering, but the cause for which one suffers, makes the martyr" [AUGUSTINE].
happy--Not even can suffering take away your blessedness, but rather promotes it.
and--Greek, "but." Do not impair your blessing (Pe1 3:9) by fearing man's terror in your times of adversity. Literally, "Be not terrified with their terror," that is, with that which they try to strike into you, and which strikes themselves when in adversity. This verse and Pe1 3:15 is quoted from Isa 8:12-13. God alone is to be feared; he that fears God has none else to fear.
neither be troubled--the threat of the law, Lev 26:36; Deu 28:65-66; in contrast to which the Gospel gives the believer a heart assured of God's favor, and therefore unruffled, amidst all adversities. Not only be not afraid, but be not even agitated. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
But and if ye suffer for righteousness" sake - Implying that though, in general, a holy character would constitute safety, yet that there was a possibility that they might suffer persecution. Compare the Mat 5:10 note; Ti2 3:12 note.
Happy are ye - Perhaps alluding to what the Saviour says in Mat 5:10; "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness" sake." On the meaning of the word happy or blessed, see the notes at Mat 5:3. The meaning here is, not that they would find positive enjoyment in persecution on account of righteousness, but that they were to regard it as a blessed condition; that is, as a condition that might be favorable to salvation; and they were not therefore, on the whole, to regard it as an evil.
And be not afraid of their terror - Of anything which they can do to cause terror. There is evidently an allusion here to Isa 8:12-13; "Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread." See the notes at that passage. Compare Isa 51:12; Mat 10:28. "Neither be troubled." With apprehension of danger. Compare the notes at Joh 14:1. If we are true Christians, we have really no reason to be alarmed in view of anything that can happen to us. God is our protector, and he is abundantly able to vanquish all our foes; to uphold us in all our trials; to conduct us through the valley of death, and to bring us to heaven. "All things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come," Co1 3:21-22. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
righteousness
(See Scofield) - (Jo1 3:7). |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Blessed
See on Mat 5:3.
Be troubled (ταραχθῆτε)
The word used of Herod's trouble (Mat 2:3); of the agitation of the pool of Bethesda (Joh 5:4); of Christ's troubled spirit (Joh 12:27). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| But if ye should suffer - This is no harm to you, but a good. Fear ye not their fear - The very words of the Septuagint, Isa 8:12-13. Let not that fear be in you which the wicked feel. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
But and if ye suffer - God may permit you to be tried and persecuted for righteousness' sake, but this cannot essentially harm you; he will press even this into your service, and make it work for your good.
Happy are ye - This seems to refer to Mat 5:10, etc. Blessed or happy, are ye when men persecute you, etc. It is a happiness to suffer for Christ; and it is a happiness, because if a man were not holy and righteous the world would not persecute him, so he is happy in the very cause of his sufferings.
Be not afraid of their terror - Τον δε φοβον αυτων μη φοβηθητε· Fear not their fear; see Isa 8:12. Sometimes fear is put for the object of a man's religious worship; see Gen 31:42; Pro 1:26, and the place in Isaiah just quoted. The exhortation may mean, Fear not their gods, they can do you no hurt; and supposing that they curse you by them, yet be not troubled; "He who fears God need have no other fear." |
65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:
66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:
36 And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.
12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.