1 Peter 1 · Verse 14

1 Peter 1:14

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1 Peter 1:14, King James Version

1 Peter 1:14 in other translations

BSBAs obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
WEBas children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
ASVas children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance:
YLTas obedient children, not fashioning yourselves to the former desires in your ignorance,
DARBYas children of obedience, not conformed to your former lusts in your ignorance;
BBELike children ruled by God, do not go back to the old desires of the time when you were without knowledge:
WebsterAs obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

What does 1 Peter 1:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. From sobriety of spirit and endurance of hope Peter passes to obedience, holiness, and reverential fear. As--marking their present actual character as "born again" (1Pe 1:3, 22). obedient children--Greek, "children of obedience": children to whom obedience is their characteristic and ruling nature, as a child is of the same nature as the mother and father. Contrast Ep 5:6, "the children of disobedience." Compare 1Pe 1:17, "obeying the Father" whose "children" ye are. Having the obedience of faith (compare 1Pe 1:22) and so of practice (compare 1Pe 1:16, 18). "Faith is the highest obedience, because discharged to the highest command" [Luther]. fashioning--The outward fashion (Greek, "schema") is fleeting, and merely on the surface. The "form," or conformation in the New Testament, is something deeper and more perfect and essential. the former lusts in--which were characteristic of your state of ignorance of God: true of both Jews and Gentiles. The sanctification is first described negatively (1Pe 1:14, "not fashioning yourselves," &c.; the putting off the old man, even in the outward fashion, as well as in the inward conformation), then positively (1Pe 1:15, putting on the new man, compare Ep 4:22, 24). "Lusts" flow from the original birth-sin (inherited from our first parents, who by self-willed desire brought sin into the world), the lust which, ever since man has been alienated from God, seeks to fill up with earthly things the emptiness of his being; the manifold forms which the mother-lust assumes are called in the plural lusts. In the regenerate, as far as the new man is concerned, which constitutes his truest self, "sin" no longer exists; but in the flesh or old man it does. Hence arises the conflict, uninterruptedly maintained through life, wherein the new man in the main prevails, and at last completely. But the natural man knows only the combat of his lusts with one another, or with the law, without power to conquer them.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. As obedient children. That is, conduct yourselves as becomes the children of God, by obeying his commands; by submitting to his will; and by manifesting unwavering confidence in him as your Father, at all times.

Not fashioning yourselves. Not forming or modelling your life. Comp. Rom 12:2. The idea is, that they were to have some model or example, in accordance with which they were to frame their lives, but that they were not to make their own former principles and conduct the model. The Christian is to be as different from what he was himself before conversion as he is from his fellow-men. He is to be governed by new laws, to aim at new objects, and to mould his life in accordance with new principles. Before conversion, he was

(a.) supremely selfish;

(b.) he lived for personal gratification;

(c.) he gave free indulgence to his appetites and passions, restrained only by a respect for the decencies of life, and by a reference to his own health, property, or reputation, without regard to the will of God;

(d.) he conformed himself to the customs and opinions around him, rather than to the requirements of his Maker;

(e.) he lived for worldly aggrandizements, his supreme object being wealth or fame; or

(f.) in many cases, those who are now Christians, gave indulgence to every passion which they wished to gratify, regardless of reputation, health, property, or salvation. Now they are to be governed by a different rule, and their own former standard of morals and of opinions is no longer their guide, but the will of God.

According to the former lusts in your ignorance. When you were ignorant of the requirements of the gospel, and gave yourselves up to the unrestrained indulgence of your passions.

(d) "fashioning" Rom 12:2 (+) "lusts" "desires"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Not fashioning yourselves - As the offices of certain persons are known by the garb or livery they wear, so are transgressors: where we see the world's livery we see the world's servants; they fashion or habit themselves according to their lusts, and we may guess that they have a worldly mind by their conformity to worldly fashions.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Peter 1:13-16

As the traveller, the racer, the warrior, and the labourer, gathered in their long and loose garments, that they might be ready in their business, so let Christians do by their minds and affections. Be sober, be watchful against all spiritual dangers and enemies, and be temperate in all behaviour. Be sober-minded in opinion, as well as in practice, and humble in your judgment of yourselves. A strong and perfect…

Read the full comment on 1 Peter 1:13-16 →

1 Peter 1:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὡςhōsasG5613
τέκναteknachildrenG5043
ὑπακοῆςhupakoēsof obedienceG5218
μὴmēnotG3361
συσχηματιζόμενοιsuschēmatizomenoifashioning yourselvesG4964
ταῖςtaisto theG3588
πρότερονproteronformerG4386
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
ἀγνοίᾳagnoiaignoranceG52
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
ἐπιθυμίαις,epithumiaisdesires,G1939

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Peter 1:14

  • Romans 12:2

    And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

  • Titus 3:3-5

    For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

  • 1 Peter 4:2-3

    That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

  • Ephesians 2:2

    Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:5

    Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

  • Colossians 3:5-7

    Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

  • Ephesians 4:18-22

    Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: …

  • Acts 17:30

    And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

  • Romans 6:4

    Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

  • Ephesians 5:6

    Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
obedient.
Eph 2:2; 5:6; *Gr:
not.
4:2,3; Ro 6:4; 12:2; Eph 4:18-22; Col 3:5-7
in.
Ac 17:30; 1Th 4:5; Tit 3:3-5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Peter 1:13

    Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

  • 1 Peter 1:14

    As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

  • 1 Peter 1:15

    But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

Read all of 1 Peter 1

1 Peter 1:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Como hijos obedientes, no conformándoos con los deseos que antes teníais estando en vuestra ignorancia;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		– comme des enfants d’obéissance, ne vous conformant pas à vos convoitises d’autrefois pendant votre ignorance;
German
Elberfelder 1871		als Kinder des Gehorsams bildet euch nicht nach den vorigen Lüsten in eurer Unwissenheit,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quasi filii obedientiæ, non configurati prioribus ignorantiæ vestræ desideriis: