15 For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men's matters.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
But (or, For) let one of you Here also he anticipates an objection. He had exhorted the faithful to patience, if it happened to them to be persecuted for the cause of Christ; he now adds the reason why he had only spoken of that kind of trouble, even because they ought to have abstained from all evil-doing. Here, then, is contained another exhortation, lest they should do anything for which they might seem to be justly punished. Therefore the causal particle is not, here superfluous, since the Apostle wished to give a reason why he so much exhorted the faithful to a fellowship with the sufferings of Christ, and at the same time to remind them by the way to live justly and harmlessly, lest they should bring on themselves a just punishment through their own faults; as though he had said, that it behoved Christians to deserve well of all, even when they were badly and cruelly treated by the world. Were any one to object and say, that no one can be found to be so innocent but that he deserves for many faults to be chastised by God; to this I reply, that Peter here speaks of sins from which we ought to be entirely freed, such as thefts and murders; and I give further this reply, that the Apostle commands Christians to be such as they ought to be. It, is, then, no wonder, that he points out a difference between us and the children of this world, who being without God's Spirit, abandon themselves to every kind of wickedness. He would not have God's children to be in the same condition, so as to draw on themselves by a wicked life the punishment allotted by the laws. But we have already said elsewhere, that though there are always many sins in the elect, which God might justly punish, yet according to his paternal indulgence he spares his own children, so that he does not inflict the punishment they deserve, and that in the meantime, for honour's sake, he adorns them with his own tokens and those of his Christ, when he suffers them to be afflicted for the testimony of the Gospel. The word allotrioepiskopos seems to me to designate one who covets what belongs to another. For they who gape after plunder or fraud, inquire into affairs of others with tortuous or crooked eyes, as Horace says; [1] but the despiser of money, as the same says elsewhere, looks on vast heaps of gold with a straight eye. [2]
1 - Sic tamen ut limis rapias quid prima secundo Cera velit versu. Sat. lib. 2:5, 53.
2 - Quisquis ingentes oculo irretorto Spectat acervos. -- Carm. lib. it. Od. 2:23. The sin here referred to must have some public act, punishable by law. The word means an observer of other people's affairs, but he must have done so for some sinister purpose. He was probably a pryer into matters of state or government in order to create discontent and to raise commotions; and this was an evil which prevailed much at the time among the Jews. Hence "seditions," or factions, would convey probably the right meaning. -- Ed.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer - If you must be called to suffer, see that it be not for crime. Compare the notes at 1-Peter 3:14, 1-Peter 3:17. They were to be careful that their sufferings were brought upon them only in consequence of their religion, and not because any crime could be laid to their charge. If even such charges were brought against them, there should be no pretext furnished for them by their lives.
As an evil doer - As a wicked man; or as guilty of injustice and wrong toward others.
Or as a busy-body in other men's matters - The Greek word used here ἀλλοτριοεπίσκοπος allotrioepiskopos occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means, properly, an inspector of strange things, or of the things of others. Prof. Robinson (Lexicon) supposes that the word may refer to one who is "a director of heathenism;" but the more obvious signification, and the one commonly adopted, is that which occurs in our translation - one who busies himself with what does not concern him; that is, one who pries into the affairs of another; who attempts to control or direct them as if they were his own. In respect to the vice here condemned, see the notes at Philippians 2:4. Compare 2-Thessalonians 3:11, and 1-Timothy 5:13.
But let none of you suffer - as a busybody in other men's matters - Αλλοτριοεπισκοπος· The inspector of another; meddling with other people's concerns, and forgetting their own; such persons are hated of all men. But some think that meddling with those in public office is here intended, as if he had said: Meddle not with the affairs of state, leave public offices and public officers to their own master, strive to live peaceably with all men, and show yourselves to be humble and unaspiring.
(15) 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.
(15) The third difference: the godly are not afflicted for their evil doings, but for righteousness' sake as Christians: by which it comes to pass that the cross, seeing it is a testimony to them of faith and righteousness, ministers to them not an occasion of sorrow, but of unspeakable joy: now the apostle propounds this third difference under the form of an exhortation.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer,.... The punishment for murder was death by the law of God, Genesis 9:6
or as a thief; whose fine or mulct, according to the Jewish law, was a fivefold or fourfold restitution, according to the nature of the thing that was stolen, Exodus 22:1
or as an evildoer; a breaker of any of the laws of God or men, which are of a moral nature, and for the good of civil society:
or as a busybody in other men's matters; "or as a bishop in another man's diocese"; that concerns himself in things he has nothing to do with, and neglects his own affairs, and lives in idleness, and upon the spoil of others; or takes upon him to manage, direct, order, and command other men's servants, or persons that do not belong to him, to do his business, or whatsoever he pleases. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "a desirer of other's goods"; and the Ethiopic version, "a covetous desirer of other's things"; and so is led on by an insatiable thirst for them, to obtain them in an evil way, either by secret fraud, or open violence and oppression. To suffer in any such cases is scandalous and dishonourable, and unbecoming the character of a Christian. This last clause is left out in the Syriac version.
But--Greek, "For." "Reproached in the name of Christ" I say (1-Peter 4:14), "FOR let none," &c.
as . . . as . . . as . . . as--the "as" twice in italics is not in the Greek. The second Greek, "as," distinguishes the class "busybody in other men's matters," from the previous class of delinquents. Christians, from mistaken zeal, under the plea of faithfulness, might readily step out of their own calling and make themselves judges of the acts of unbelievers. Literally, "a bishop in what is (not his own, but) another's" province; an allusion to the existing bishops or overseers of the Church; a self-constituted bishop in others' concerns.
Let none of you suffer as a murderer. As an evil doer.
If any man suffer as a Christian. This name was now widely known, and good men suffered only because they were Christians.
The time for judgment is come. it begins at the house of God, the church. In Matt., chapter 25, the righteous are judged first.
If it begin first at us. If even the righteous are called to judgment, what shall be the fate of the disobedient?
And if the righteous. A passage quoted from Proverbs 11:31. The idea is that if sufferings and judgments (chastenings) come upon good people, what hope is there for the wicked?
Wherefore let them also that suffer. Let all who suffer, not for evil doing but for righteousness sake, keep on in well doing and commit their souls to the care of the all seeing and faithful God.
Let none of you deservedly suffer, as an evildoer - In any kind.
*More commentary available at chapter level.