KJV: And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
YLT: and, before all things, to one another having the earnest love, because the love shall cover a multitude of sins;
Darby: but before all things having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins;
ASV: above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:
πρὸ | above |
Parse: Preposition Root: πρό Sense: before. |
|
πάντων | all things |
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Neuter Plural Root: πᾶς Sense: individually. |
|
τὴν | - |
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
|
ἑαυτοὺς | yourselves |
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural Root: ἑαυτοῦ Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves. |
|
ἀγάπην | love |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ἀγάπη Sense: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence. |
|
ἐκτενῆ | fervent |
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ἐκτενής Sense: stretched out. |
|
ὅτι | because |
Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
|
ἀγάπη | love |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular Root: ἀγάπη Sense: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence. |
|
καλύπτει | covers over |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: καλύπτω Sense: to hide, veil. |
|
πλῆθος | a multitude |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular Root: πλῆθος Sense: a multitude. |
|
ἁμαρτιῶν | of sins |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural Root: ἁμαρτία Sense: equivalent to 264. |
Greek Commentary for 1 Peter 4:8
See this phrase in James 5:12. [source]
Present active participle of εχοντες echontes and predicate accusative of adjective εκτενης ektenēs (from εκτεινω ekteinō to stretch out), stretched out, here only in N.T., “holding intent you love among yourselves.”For love covereth a multitude of sins (οτι αγαπη καλυπτει πλητος αμαρτιων hoti agapē kaluptei plēthos hamartiōn). See James 5:20 for meaning, sins of the one loved, not of the one loving. [source]
See James 5:20 for meaning, sins of the one loved, not of the one loving. [source]
See, on the kindred adverbfervently, notes on 1 Peter 1:22.Love covereth, etcCompare James 5:20; Proverbs 10:12. [source]
Compare James 5:20; Proverbs 10:12. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Peter 4:8
Only here in New Testament. Lit., in intensity. See on fervently, 1 Peter 1:22. Compare more earnestly, Luke 22:44; without ceasing, Acts 12:5;fervent, 1 Peter 4:8. See, also, on instantly and instant, Luke 7:4; Luke 23:23. [source]
Wrong. The word means earnest. See on fervently, 1 Peter 1:22; and compare instantly, Acts 26:7; more earnestly, Luke 22:44; fervent, 1 Peter 4:8. The idea of continuance is, however, expressed here by the finite verb with the participle. Very literally, prayer was arising earnest. [source]
Στεγω Stegō is old verb from στεγη stegē roof, already in 1 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Thessalonians 3:1, 1 Thessalonians 3:5 which see. Love covers, protects, forbears (suffert, Vulgate). See note on 1 Peter 4:8 “because love covers a multitude of sins” (οτι αγαπη καλυπτει πητος αμαρτιων hoti agapē kaluptei phēthos hamartiōn), throws a veil over. [source]
Lit., one another - yourselves. For a similar variation of the pronoun see Ephesians 4:32; 1 Peter 4:8-10. The latter pronoun emphasizes the fact that they are all members of Christ's body - everyone members one of another - so that, in forgiving each other they forgive themselves. [source]
No connection with what immediately precedes. Probably an allusion to the words of Jesus (Matthew 5:34-37). It is not out of place here. See the same phrase in 1 Peter 4:8. Robinson (Ephesians, p. 279) cites like examples from the papyri at the close of letters. Here it means “But especially” (Ropes). [source]
First aorist active articular participle of επιστρεπω epistrephō of James 5:19.From the error (εκ πλανης ek planēs). “Out of the wandering” of James 5:19 (πλανη planē from which πλαναω planaō is made). See 1 John 4:6 for contrast between “truth” and “error.”A soul from death The soul of the sinner Future active of καλυπτω kaluptō old verb, to hide, to veil. But whose sins (those of the converter or the converted)? The Roman Catholics (also Mayor and Ropes) take it of the sins of the converter, who thus saves himself by saving others. The language here will allow that, but not New Testament teaching in general. It is apparently a proverbial saying which Resch considers one of the unwritten sayings of Christ (Clem. Al. Paed. iii. 12). It occurs also in 1 Peter 4:8, where it clearly means the sins of others covered by love as a veil thrown over them. The saying appears also in Proverbs 10:12: “Hatred stirs up strife, but love hides all transgressions” - that is “love refuses to see faults” (Mayor admits). That is undoubtedly the meaning in 1 Peter 4:8; James 5:20. [source]
The soul of the sinner Future active of καλυπτω kaluptō old verb, to hide, to veil. But whose sins (those of the converter or the converted)? The Roman Catholics (also Mayor and Ropes) take it of the sins of the converter, who thus saves himself by saving others. The language here will allow that, but not New Testament teaching in general. It is apparently a proverbial saying which Resch considers one of the unwritten sayings of Christ (Clem. Al. Paed. iii. 12). It occurs also in 1 Peter 4:8, where it clearly means the sins of others covered by love as a veil thrown over them. The saying appears also in Proverbs 10:12: “Hatred stirs up strife, but love hides all transgressions” - that is “love refuses to see faults” (Mayor admits). That is undoubtedly the meaning in 1 Peter 4:8; James 5:20. [source]
Future active of καλυπτω kaluptō old verb, to hide, to veil. But whose sins (those of the converter or the converted)? The Roman Catholics (also Mayor and Ropes) take it of the sins of the converter, who thus saves himself by saving others. The language here will allow that, but not New Testament teaching in general. It is apparently a proverbial saying which Resch considers one of the unwritten sayings of Christ (Clem. Al. Paed. iii. 12). It occurs also in 1 Peter 4:8, where it clearly means the sins of others covered by love as a veil thrown over them. The saying appears also in Proverbs 10:12: “Hatred stirs up strife, but love hides all transgressions” - that is “love refuses to see faults” (Mayor admits). That is undoubtedly the meaning in 1 Peter 4:8; James 5:20. [source]
Rev., obedience. A peculiarly New Testament term unknown in classical Greek. In the Septuagint only Acts href="/desk/?q=ac+12:5&sr=1">Acts 12:5, where the narrative probably came from him, and also at 1 Peter 4:8; “fervent charity.” The words are compounded with the verb τείνω , to stretch, and signify intense strain; feeling on the rack. [source]
Late and rare double compound, here alone in Peter, but see James 3:17; 2 Corinthians 6:6, etc. No other kind of πιλαδελπια philadelphia (brotherly love) is worth having (1 Thessalonians 4:9; Hebrews 13:1; 2 Peter 1:7).From the heart fervently (εκ καρδιας εκτενως ek kardias ektenōs). Late adverb (in inscriptions, Polybius, lxx). The adjective εκτενης ektenēs is more common (1 Peter 4:8). [source]
With repetition of the idea in 1 Peter 1:2, 1 Peter 1:14 (children of obedience).To the truth (της αλετειας tēs aletheias). Objective genitive with which compare John 17:17, John 17:19 about sanctification in the truth and 2 Thessalonians 2:12 about believing the truth. There is cleansing power in the truth of God in Christ.Unfeigned Late and rare double compound, here alone in Peter, but see James 3:17; 2 Corinthians 6:6, etc. No other kind of πιλαδελπια philadelphia (brotherly love) is worth having (1 Thessalonians 4:9; Hebrews 13:1; 2 Peter 1:7).From the heart fervently (εκ καρδιας εκτενως ek kardias ektenōs). Late adverb (in inscriptions, Polybius, lxx). The adjective εκτενης ektenēs is more common (1 Peter 4:8). [source]
Late adverb (in inscriptions, Polybius, lxx). The adjective εκτενης ektenēs is more common (1 Peter 4:8). [source]
Rev., rendering the perfect tense more closely, hath the love of God been perfected. The change in the form of this antithetic clause is striking. He who claims to know God, yet lives in disobedience, is a liar. We should expect as an offset to this: He that keepeth His commandments is of the truth; or, the truth is in him. Instead we have, “In him has the love of God been perfected.” In other words, the obedient child of God is characterized, not by any representative trait or quality of his own personality, but merely as the subject of the work of divine love: as the sphere in which that love accomplishes its perfect work. The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ the love of God, may mean either the love which God shows, or the love of which God is the object, or the love which is characteristic of God whether manifested by Himself or by His obedient child through His Spirit. John's usage is not decisive like Paul's, according to which the love of God habitually means the love which proceeds from and is manifested by God. The exact phrase, the love of God or the love of the Father, is found in 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:9, in the undoubted sense of the love of God to men. The same sense is intended in 1 John 3:1, 1 John 3:9, 1 John 3:16, though differently expressed. The sense is doubtful in 1 John 2:5; 1 John 3:17; 1 John 4:12. Men's love to God is clearly meant in 1 John 2:15; 1 John 5:3. The phrase occurs only twice in the Gospels (Luke 6:42; John 5:42), and in both cases the sense is doubtful. Some, as Ebrard, combine the two, and explain the love of God as the mutual relation of love between God and men. It is not possible to settle the point decisively, but I incline to the view that the fundamental idea of the love of God as expounded by John is the love which God has made known and which answers to His nature. In favor of this is the general usage of ἀγάπη lovein the New Testament, with the subjective genitive. The object is more commonly expressed by εἰς towardsor to. See 1 Thessalonians 3:12; Colossians 1:4; 1 Peter 4:8. Still stronger is John's treatment of the subject in ch. 4. Here we have, 1 John 4:9, the manifestation of the love of God in us ( ἐν ἡμῖν ) By our life in Christ and our love to God we are a manifestation of God's love. Directly following this is a definition of the essential nature of love. “In this is love; i.e., herein consists love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us ” (1 John 4:10). Our mutual love is a proof that God dwells in us. God dwelling in us, His love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12). The latter clause, it would seem, must be explained according to 1 John 4:10. Then (1 John 4:16), “We have known and believed the love that God hath in us ” (see on John 16:22, on the phrase have love ). “God is love;” that is His nature, and He imparts this nature to be the sphere in which His children dwell. “He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God.” Finally, our love is engendered by His love to us. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- In harmony with this is John 15:9. “As the Father loved me, I also loved you. Continue ye in my love.” My love must be explained by I loved you. This is the same idea of divine love as the sphere or element of renewed being; and this idea is placed, as in the passage we are considering, in direct connection with the keeping of the divine commandments. “If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love.”-DIVIDER- This interpretation does not exclude man's love to God. On the contrary, it includes it. The love which God has, is revealed as the love of God in the love of His children towards Him, no less than in His manifestations of love to them. The idea of divine love is thus complex. Love, in its very essence, is reciprocal. Its perfect ideal requires two parties. It is not enough to tell us, as a bare, abstract truth, that God is love. The truth must be rounded and filled out for us by the appreciable exertion of divine love upon an object, and by the response of the object. The love of God is perfected or completed by the perfect establishment of the relation of love between God and man. When man loves perfectly, his love is the love of God shed abroad in his heart. His love owes both its origin and its nature to the love of God. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- The word verily ( ἀληθῶς ) is never used by John as a mere formula of affirmation, but has the meaning of a qualitative adverb, expressing not merely the actual existence of a thing, but its existence in a manner most absolutely corresponding to ἀλήθεια truthCompare John 1:48; John 8:31. Hath been perfected. John is presenting the ideal of life in God. “This is the love of God that we keep His commandments.” Therefore whosoever keepeth God's word, His message in its entirety, realizes the perfect relation of love. [source]