1 Peter 4 · Verse 17

1 Peter 4:17

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?

1 Peter 4:17, King James Version

1 Peter 4:17 in other translations

BSB	For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
WEB	For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God?
ASV	For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?
YLT	because it is the time of the beginning of the judgment from the house of God, and if first from us, what the end of those disobedient to the good news of God?
DARBY	For the time of having the judgment begin from the house of God is come; but if first from us, what shall be the end of those who obey not the glad tidings of God?
BBE	For the time has come for the judging, starting with the church of God; but if it makes a start with us, what will be the end of those who are not under the rule of God?
Webster	For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first beginneth at us, what will be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?

What does 1 Peter 4:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

17. 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 has in mind Eze 9:6; compare Am 3:2; Jr 25:29. Judgment is already begun, the Gospel word, as a "two-edged sword," having the double effect of saving some and condemning others, and shall be consummated at the last judgment. "When power is given to the destroyer, he observes no distinction between the righteous and the wicked; not only so, but he begins first at the righteous" [Wetstein from Rabbins]. But God limits the destroyer's power over His people. if ... at us, what shall the end be of them, &c.--If even the godly have chastening judgments now, how much more shall the ungodly be doomed to damnatory judgments at last. gospel of God--the very God who is to judge them.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 17. For 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 (κριμα) seems to mean the severe trial which would determine character. It refers such calamities as would settle the question whether there was any religion, or would test the value of that which was professed. It was to "begin" at the house of God, or be applied to the church first, in order that the nature and worth of religion might be see. The reference is, doubtless, to some fearful calamity which would primarily fall on the "house of God;" that is, to some form of persecution which was to be let loose upon the church.

At the house of God. Benson, Bloomfield, and many others, suppose that this , refers to the Jews, and to the calamities that were to come around the temple and the holy city about to be destroyed. But the more obvious reference is to Christians, spoken of as the house or family Of God. There is probably in the language here an allusion to Eze 9:6 "Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women; and begin at my sanctuary." Jer 25:29. But the language used here by the apostle does not denote literally the temple, or the Jews, but those who were in his time regarded as the people of God--Christians--the church. So the phrase () house of Jehovah is used to denote the family or people of God, Nu 12:7, Hoss 8:1. Comp. also 1Timm 3:15, 1Timm 3:15. The sense here is, therefore, that the series of calamities referred to were to commence with the church, or were to come first upon the people of God. Schoettgen here aptly quotes a passage from the writings of the Rabbins: "Punishments never come into the world unless the wicked are in it; but they do not begin, unless they commence first with the righteous."

And if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel God? If God brings such trials upon us who have obeyed his gospel, what have we not reason to suppose he will bring upon those who are yet in their sins? And if we are selected first as the objects of this visitation, if there is that in us which requires such method of dealing, what are we to suppose will occur in the end with those who make no pretensions to religion, but are yet living in open transgression? The sentiment is, that if God deals thus strictly with his people; if there is that in them which makes the, visitations of his judgment proper on them, there is a certainty that they who are not his people, but who live in iniquity, will in the end be overwhelmed with the tokens of severer wrath. Their punishment hereafter will be certain; and who can tell what will be the measure of its severity? Every wicked man, when he sees the trials which God brings upon his own people, should tremble under the apprehension of the deeper calamity which will hereafter come upon himself. We may remark,

(1.) that the judgments which God brings upon his own people make it certain that the wicked will punished. If he does not spare his own people, why should he spare others?

(2.) The punishment of the wicked is merely delayed. It begins at the house, of God, Christians are tried, and are recalled from their wanderings, and are prepared by discipline for: the heavenly world. The punishment of the wicked is often delayed to a future world, and in this life they have almost uninterrupted prosperity, but in the end it will be certain. Ps 73:1, seq. The punishment will come in the end. It cannot be evaded. Sooner or later justice requires that the wicked should be visited with the expressions of Divine displeasure on account of sin, and in the future world there will be ample time for the infliction of all the punishment which they deserve.

(a) "begin" Isa 10:12, Jer 49:12, Eze 9:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 17 Judgment 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 Mat 24:9, Mat 24:21, Mat 24:22; Mar 13:12, Mar 13:13; Joh 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, needs little proof; and some interpreters think that this was in conformity to the purpose of God, (Mat 23:35 : That on you may come all the righteous blood shed from the foundation of the world), "that the Jewish Christians were to be involved in the general punishment; and that it was proper to begin at them as a part of the devoted Jewish nation, notwithstanding they were now become the house of God, because the justice of God would thereby be more illustriously displayed." See Macknight. But probably the word κριμα, which we here translate judgment, may mean no more than affliction and distress; for it was a Jewish maxim that, when God was about to pour down some general judgment, he began with afflicting his own people in order to correct and amend them, that they might be prepared for the overflowing scourge. In Bava Kama, fol. 60, 1, we have the same sentiment, and in nearly the same words, as in Peter, viz.: "God never punishes the world but because of the wicked, but he always begins with the righteous first. The destroyer makes no difference between the just and the unjust, only he begins first with the righteous." See Eze 9:1-7, where God orders the destroyer to slay both old and young in the city: But, said he, begin at my sanctuary. And if it first begin at us - Jews, who have repented, and believed on the Son of God; what shall the end be of them - the Jews who continue impenitent, and obey not the Gospel of God? Here is the plainest reference to the above Jewish maxim; and this, it appears, was founded upon the text which St. Peter immediately quotes.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Peter 4:12-19

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…

Read the full comment on 1 Peter 4:12-19 →

1 Peter 4:17 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.

ὅτιhotiFor [it is]G3754

ὁhotheG3588

καιρὸςkairostime [for]G2540

τοῦtou<the>G3588

ἄρξασθαιarxasthaito have begunG757

τὸtotheG3588

κρίμαkrimajudgmentG2917

ἀπὸapofromG575

τοῦtoutheG3588

οἴκουoikouhouseG3624

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦ·theouof God;G2316

εἰeiifG1487

δὲdenowG1161

πρῶτονprōtonfirstG4413

ἀφ᾽aph᾽fromG575

ἡμῶν,hēmōnus,G3165

τίtiwhat [will be]G5101

τὸtotheG3588

τέλοςtelosoutcomeG5056

τῶνtōnof thoseG3588

ἀπειθούντωνapeithountōndisobeyingG544

τῷtōtheG3588

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦtheouof GodG2316

εὐαγγελίῳ;euangeliōgospel?G2098

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

Cross references for 1 Peter 4:17

Jeremiah 25:29
For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.
2 Thessalonians 1:8
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 2:9
Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Ezekiel 9:6
Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
1 Peter 2:8
And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Luke 12:47-48
And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Malachi 3:5
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.
Luke 23:31
For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
Hebrews 12:24-25
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Matthew 3:9-10
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Matthew 11:20-24
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. …
Luke 10:12-14
But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

judgment.
Isa 10:12; Jer 25:29; 49:12; Eze 9:6; Mal 3:5; Mt 3:9,10
Lu 12:47,48
and if.
Lu 23:31
what.
Mt 11:20-24; Lu 10:12-14; Heb 2:2,4; 12:24,25
obey.
2:8; Ga 3:1; 5:7; 2Th 1:8; Heb 5:9; 11:8

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

Context

1 Peter 4:16
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1 Peter 4:17
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?
1 Peter 4:18
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Read all of 1 Peter 4

1 Peter 4:17 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque es tiempo de que el juicio comience de la casa de Dios: y si primero comienza por nosotros, ¿qué será el fin de aquellos que no obedecen al evangelio de Dios?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Car le temps est venu de commencer le jugement par la maison de Dieu; mais s’il commence premièrement par nous, quelle sera la fin de ceux qui n’obéissent pas à l’évangile de Dieu?
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn die Zeit ist gekommen, daß das Gericht anfange bei dem Hause Gottes; wenn aber zuerst bei uns, was wird das Ende derer sein, die dem Evangelium Gottes nicht gehorchen!
Latin Clementine Vulgate	quoniam tempus est ut incipiat judicium a domo Dei. Si autem primum a nobis, quis finis eorum, qui non credunt Dei Evangelio?