1 Peter 5 · Verse 8

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Peter 5:8, King James Version

1 Peter 5:8 in other translations

BSBBe sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
WEBBe sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
ASVBe sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
YLTBe sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, doth walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up,
DARBYBe vigilant, watch. Your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour.
BBEBe serious and keep watch; the Evil One, who is against you, goes about like a lion with open mouth in search of food;
WebsterBe sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

What does 1 Peter 5:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Peter has in mind Christ's warning to himself to watch against Satan, from forgetting which he fell. Be sober ... vigilant--"Care," that is, anxiety, will intoxicate the soul; therefore be sober, that is, self-restrained. Yet, lest this freedom from care should lead any to false security, he adds, "Be vigilant" against "your adversary." Let this be your "care." God provides, therefore do not be anxious. The devil seeks, therefore watch [Bengel]. because--omitted in the oldest manuscripts The broken and disjointed sentences are more fervid and forcible. Lucifer of Cagliari reads as English Version. adversary--literally, "opponent in a court of justice" (Zec 3:1). "Satan" means opponent. "Devil," accuser or slanderer (Re 12:10). "The enemy" (Mt 13:39). "A murderer from the beginning" (Joh 8:44). He counteracts the Gospel and its agents. "The tempter." roaring lion--implying his violent and insatiable thirst for prey as a hungry lion. Through man's sin he got God's justice on his side against us; but Christ, our Advocate, by fulfilling all the demands of justice for us, has made our redemption altogether consistent with justice. walketh about--(Job 1:7; 2:2). So the children of the wicked one cannot rest. Evil spirits are in 2Pe 2:4; Jude 6, said to be already in chains of darkness and in hell. This probably means that this is their doom finally: a doom already begun in part; though for a time they are permitted to roam in the world (of which Satan is prince), especially in the dark air that surrounds the earth. Hence perhaps arises the miasma of the air at times, as physical and moral evil are closely connected. devour--entangle in worldly "care" (1Pe 5:7) and other snares, so as finally to destroy. Compare Re 12:15, 16.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. Be sober. While you cast your cares upon God, and have no anxiety on that score, let your solicitude be directed to another point. Do not doubt that he is able and willing to support and befriend you, but be watchful against your foes. See the word used here fully explained in 1Thes 5:6.

Be vigilant. This word (γρηγορεω) is everywhere else in the New Testament rendered watch. See Mt 24:42,43, 25:13, 26:38,40,41. It means that we should exercise careful circumspection, as one does when he is in danger, tn reference to the matter here referred to, it means that we are to be on our guard against the wiles and the power of the evil one.

Your adversary the devil. Your enemy; he who is opposed to you. Satan opposes man in his best interests. He resists his efforts to do good; his purposes to return to God; his attempts to secure his own salvation. There is no more appropriate appellation that can be given to him than to say that he resists all our efforts to obey God and to secure the salvation of our own souls.

As a roaring lion. Comp. Rev 12:12. Sometimes Satan is represented as transforming himself into an angel of light, (2Cor 11:14;) and sometimes, as here, as a roaring lion: denoting the efforts which he makes to alarm and overpower us. The lion here is not the crouching lion-the lion stealthfully creeping towards his foe--but it is the raging monarch of the woods, who by his terrible roar would intimidate all so that they might become an easy prey. The particular thing referred to here, doubtless, is persecution, resembling in its terrors a roaring lion. When error comes in; when seductive arts abound; when the world allures and charms, the representation of the character of the foe is not of the roaring lion, but of the silent influence of an enemy that has clothed himself in the garb of an angel of light, 2Cor 11:14.

Walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. "Naturalists have observed that a lion roars when he is roused with hunger, for then he is most fierce, and most eagerly seeks his prey. See Jud 14:5, Ps 22:13; Jer 2:15, Eze 22:25, Hoss 11:10, Zeph 3:3, Zech 11:3."--Benson.

(*) "vigilant" "watchful" (b) "as a roaring lion" Rev 12:12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Be sober - Avoid drunkenness of your senses, and drunkenness in your souls; be not overcharged with the concerns of the world. Be vigilant - Awake, and keep awake; be always watchful; never be off your guard; your enemies are alert, they are never off theirs. Your adversary the devil - This is the reason why ye should be sober and vigilant; ye have an ever active, implacable, subtle enemy to contend with. He walketh about - he has access to you everywhere; he knows your feelings and your propensities, and informs himself of all your circumstances; only God can know more and do more than he, therefore your care must be cast upon God. As a roaring lion - Satan tempts under three forms: 1. The subtle serpent; to beguile our senses, pervert our judgment, and enchant our imagination. 2. As an angel of light; to deceive us with false views of spiritual things, refinements in religion, and presumption on the providence and grace of God. 3. As a roaring lion; to bear us down, and destroy us by violent opposition, persecution, and death. Thus he was acting towards the followers of God at Pontus, etc., who were now suffering a grievous persecution. Walketh about - Traversing the earth; a plain reference to Job 2:2, which see. Seeking whom he may devour - Τινα καταπιῃ· Whom he may gulp down. It is not every one that he can swallow down: those who are sober and vigilant are proof against him, these he May Not swallow down; those who are drunken with the cares of this world, etc., and are unwatchful, these he May swallow down. There is a beauty in this verse, and a striking apposition between the first and last words, which I think have not been noticed: Be sober, νηψατε from νη, not, and πιειν to drink; do not drink, do not swallow down: and the word καταπιῃ, from κατα, down, and πιειν, to drink. If you swallow strong drink down, the devil will swallow you down. Hear this, ye drunkards, topers, tipplers, or by whatsoever name you are known in society, or among your fellow sinners. Strong drink is not only the way to the devil, but the devil's way into you; and Ye are such as the devil particularly May swallow down.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Peter 5:5-9

Humility preserves peace and order in all Christian churches and societies; pride disturbs them. Where God gives grace to be humble, he will give wisdom, faith, and holiness. To be humble, and subject to our reconciled God, will bring greater comfort to the soul than the gratification of pride and ambition. But it is to be in due time; not in thy fancied time, but God's own wisely appointed time. Does he wait, and…

Read the full comment on 1 Peter 5:5-9 →

1 Peter 5:8 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.

νήψατε,nēpsatedo be sober-minded,G3525
γρηγορήσατεgrēgorēsatedo watchG1127
ὁhoTheG3588
ἀντίδικοςantidikosadversaryG476
ὑμῶνhumōnof YouG4771
διάβολοςdiabolos[the] devilG1228
ὡςhōsasG5613
λέωνleōna lionG3023
ὠρυόμενοςōruomenosroaringG5612
περιπατεῖperipateihe prowls aboutG4043
ζητῶνzētōnseekingG2212
τιναtinawhomG5100
καταπιεῖν·katapieinto devour;G2666

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

Cross references for 1 Peter 5:8

  • Ephesians 6:11

    Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

  • James 4:7

    Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

  • Ephesians 4:27

    Neither give place to the devil.

  • Job 2:2

    And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

  • 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 4:7

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

  • 1 John 3:8-10

    He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8

    Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

  • Luke 21:36

    Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

  • Luke 22:31

    And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

  • Romans 13:11-13

    And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

  • Titus 2:12

    Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
sober.
1:13; 4:7; Mt 24:48-50; Lu 12:45,46; 21:34,36; Ro 13:11-13
1Th 5:6-8; 1Ti 2:9,15; 3:2,11; Tit 1:8; 2:2,4,6,12
your.
Es 7:6; Job 1:6; 2:2; Ps 109:6; *marg:
Isa 50:8; Zec 3:1; Lu 22:31
the devil.
Mt 4:1,11; 13:39; 25:41; Joh 8:44; Eph 4:27; 6:11; Jas 4:7
1Jo 3:8-10; Re 12:9; 20:2,10
as.
Jud 14:5; Ps 104:21; Pr 19:12; 20:2; Isa 5:29,30; 14:12,13; Jer 2:15
Jer 51:38; Eze 19:7; Ho 11:10; Joe 3:16; Am 1:2; 3:4,8; Zec 11:3
2Ti 4:17; Re 12:12
walketh.
Job 1:7; 2:2
devour.
Eze 22:25; Da 6:24; Ho 13:8

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

Context

  • 1 Peter 5:7

    Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

  • 1 Peter 5:8

    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

  • 1 Peter 5:9

    Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Read all of 1 Peter 5

1 Peter 5:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Sed templados, y velad; porque vuestro adversario el diablo, cual león rugiente, anda alrededor buscando á quien devore:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Soyez sobres, veillez: votre adversaire, le diable, comme un lion rugissant, rôde autour de vous, cherchant qui il pourra dévorer.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Seid nüchtern, wachet; euer Widersacher, der Teufel, geht umher wie ein brüllender Löwe und sucht, wen er verschlinge.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sobrii estote, et vigilate: quia adversarius vester diabolus tamquam leo rugiens circuit, quærens quem devoret: