If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
What does 1 Peter 4:14 mean?
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.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside 1 Peter 4:14-18 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 1 Peter 4:14
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye - That is, in his cause, or on his account. See the notes at Matthew 5:11 . The sense of the word "happy" here is the same as "blessed" in Matthew 5:3-5 , etc. It means that they were to regard their condition or lot as a blessed one; not that they would find personal and positive enjoyment on being reproached and vilified.
Key words
- shall ye be
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shall ye be.
- shall ye be
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shall ye be.
Context in 1 Peter 4
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1 Peter 4 belongs to the late movement of the book, especially the section often described as elders, humility, and final steadfastness. First Peter calls believers a holy people in exile, formed by Christ’s suffering and destined for glory. Read this chapter with the wider themes of exile, hope, and holiness in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Bible verses about suffering and trials
Key passages on grief, endurance, lament, divine mystery, and the Christian claim that suffering is neither final nor meaningless.
Passages on the nature of truth, honesty, deception, the word of God as truth, and Jesus' claim to be the truth.