1 Peter 4 · Verse 8

1 Peter 4:8

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8, King James Version

1 Peter 4:8 in other translations

BSBAbove all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
WEBAnd above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.
ASVabove all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:
YLTand, before all things, to one another having the earnest love, because the love shall cover a multitude of sins;
DARBYbut before all things having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins;
BBEAnd most of all be warm in your love for one another; because in love there is forgiveness for sins without number:
WebsterAnd above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity will cover a multitude of sins.

What does 1 Peter 4:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. above all things--not that "charity" or love is placed above "prayer," but because love is the animating spirit, without which all other duties are dead. Translate as Greek, "Having your mutual (literally, 'towards yourselves') charity intense." He presupposes its existence among them; he urges them to make it more fervent. charity shall cover the multitude, &c.--The oldest manuscripts have "covereth." Quoted from Pr 10:12; compare Pr 17:9. "Covereth" so as not harshly to condemn or expose faults; but forbearingly to bear the other's burdens, forgiving and forgetting past offenses. Perhaps the additional idea is included, By prayer for them, love tries to have them covered by God; and so being the instrument of converting the sinner from his error, "covereth a (not 'the,' as English Version) multitude of sins"; but the former idea from Proverbs is the prominent one. It is not, as Rome teaches, "covereth" his own sins; for then the Greek middle voice would be used; and Pr 10:12; 17:9 support the Protestant view. "As God with His love covers my sins if I believe, so must I also cover the sins of my neighbor" [Luther]. Compare the conduct of Shem and Japheth to Noah (Ge 9:23), in contrast to Ham's exposure of his father's shame. We ought to cover others' sins only where love itself does not require the contrary.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. And above all things. More than all things else.

Have fervent charity among yourselves. Warm, ardent love towards each other. On the nature of charity, 1Cor 13:1. The word rendered fervent, means properly extended; then intent, earnest, fervent.

For charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Love to another shall so cover or hide a great many imperfections in him, that you will not notice them. This passage is quoted from Prov 10:12: "Love covereth all sins." For the truth of it we have only to appeal to the experience of every one.

(a.) True love to another makes us kind to his imperfections, charitable towards his faults, and often blind even to the existence of faults. We would not see the imperfections of those whom we love; and our attachment for what we esteem their real excellencies, makes us insensible to their errors.

(b.) If we love them we are ready to cover over their faults, even those which we may see in them. Of love the Christian poet says---
"Tis gentle, delicate, and kind.
To faults compassionate or blind."
The passage before us is not the same in signification as that in Jas 5:20, "He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." Jas 5:20. That passage means, that by the conversion of another the sins of him who is converted shall be covered over, or not brought to judgment for condemnation; that is, they shall be covered over so far as God is concerned---this passage means that, under the influence of love, the sins of another shall be covered over so far as we are concerned; that is, they shall be unobserved or forgiven. The language here used does not mean, as the Romanists maintain, that "charity shall procure us pardon for a multitude of sins;" for, besides that such a doctrine is contrary to the uniform teachings of the Scriptures elsewhere, it is a departure from the obvious meaning of the passage. The subject on which the apostle is treating is the advantage of love in our conduct towards others, and this he enforces by saying that it will make us kind to their imperfections, and lead us to overlook their faults. It is nowhere taught in the Scriptures that our "charity" to others will be an atonement or expiation for our own offences. If it could be so, the atonement made by Christ would have been unnecessary. Love, however, is of inestimable value in the treatment of others; and imperfect as we are, and liable to go astray, we all have occasion to cast ourselves on the charity of our brethren, and to avail ourselves much and often of that "love which covers over a multitude of sins."

(*) "charity" "love" (a) "charity" 1Cor 13:7 (1) "shall" "will"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Have fervent charity - Αγαπην εκτενη· Intense love; for love shall cover a multitude of sins. A loving disposition leads us to pass by the faults of others, to forgive offenses against ourselves, and to excuse and lessen, as far as is consistent with truth, the transgressions of men. It does not mean that our love to others will induce God to pardon our offenses. See the note on Jam 5:20.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Peter 4:7-11

The destruction of the Jewish church and nation, foretold by our Saviour, was very near. And the speedy approach of death and judgment concerns all, to which these words naturally lead our minds. Our approaching end, is a powerful argument to make us sober in all worldly matters, and earnest in religion. There are so many things amiss in all, that unless love covers, excuses, and forgives in others, the mistakes and…

Read the full comment on 1 Peter 4:7-11 →

1 Peter 4:8 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.

πρὸproaboveG4253
πάντωνpantōnall thingsG3956
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
εἰςeisamongG1519
ἑαυτοὺςhe'autousyourselvesG1438
ἀγάπηνagapēnloveG26
ἐκτενῆektenēferventG1618
ἔχοντες,echonteshaving,G2192
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
ἀγάπηagapēloveG26
καλύπτειkalupteicovers overG2572
πλῆθοςplēthosa multitudeG4128
ἁμαρτιῶν.hamartiōnof sins.G266

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

Cross references for 1 Peter 4:8

  • Proverbs 10:12

    Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

  • Colossians 3:14

    And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

  • Proverbs 17:9

    He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

  • James 5:20

    Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

  • 1 Peter 1:22

    Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

  • 1 Corinthians 13:1-14:1

    Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, …

  • 1 Thessalonians 3:12

    And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10

    But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

  • 1 Timothy 1:5

    Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

  • Hebrews 13:1

    Let brotherly love continue.

  • 2 Thessalonians 1:3

    We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

  • 2 Peter 1:6-7

    And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
above.
Col 3:14; Jas 5:12; 3Jo 1:2
fervent.[Agapen ektenes , "intense love; for love shall cover (or covers, [kalupto ,] in the present tense, as several copies read) a multitude of sins;" which seems a reference to the proverb, "love covereth all sins," Pr 10:12.
1:22; 1Co 13:1-13; 14:1; 1Th 3:12; 4:9,10; 2Th 1:3; 1Ti 1:5; Heb 13:1
2Pe 1:6,7
for.
Pr 10:12; 12:16; 17:9; 18:13; 1Co 13:7; Jas 5:20
shall. or, will.

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

Context

  • 1 Peter 4:7

    But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

  • 1 Peter 4:8

    And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

  • 1 Peter 4:9

    Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

Read all of 1 Peter 4

1 Peter 4:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y sobre todo, tened entre vosotros ferviente caridad; porque la caridad cubrirá multitud de pecados.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		mais, avant toutes choses, ayant entre vous un amour fervent, car l’amour couvre une multitude de péchés;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Vor allen Dingen aber habt untereinander eine inbrünstige Liebe, denn die Liebe bedeckt eine Menge von Sünden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ante omnia autem, mutuam in vobismetipsis caritatem continuam habentes: quia caritas operit multitudinem peccatorum.