1 Peter 5:7-8 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Peter 5:5-7

Having settled and explained the duty of the pastors or spiritual guides of the church, the apostle comes now to instruct the flock, I. How to behave themselves to their ministers and to one another. He calls them the younger, as being generally younger than their grave pastors, and to put them in mind of their inferiority, the term younger being used by our Saviour to signify an inferior, Luke 22:26. He exhorts those that are younger and inferior to submit themselves to the elder, to give due... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Peter 5:8-9

Here the apostle does three things:? I. He shows them their danger from an enemy more cruel and restless than even the worst of men, whom he describes, 1. By his characters and names. (1.) He is an adversary: ?That adversary of yours; not a common adversary, but an enemy that impleads you, and litigates against you in your grand depending cause, and aims at your very souls.? (2.) The devil, the grand accuser of all the brethren; this title is derived from a word which signifies to strike... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Peter 5:6-11

der the mighty hand of God that in his good time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxiety upon him because he cares for you. Be sober; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Stand up to him, staunch in the faith, knowing how to pay the same tax of suffering as your brethren in the world. And after you have experienced suffering for a little while, the God of every grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care upon him ,.... "Upon God": as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read. The words are taken out of, or at least refer to Psalm 55:22 , where, instead of "cast thy burden upon the Lord", the Septuagint have it, "cast thy care upon the Lord"; the care of the body, and of all the affairs of life, concerning which saints should not be anxiously thoughtful, but depend upon the providence of God, though in the diligent use of means, which is not forbidden, nor discouraged by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant ,.... The apostle had exhorted to each of these before; see 1 Peter 1:13 but thought fit to repeat them; sobriety and watchfulness being exceeding necessary and useful in the Christian life; and the one cannot well be without the other: unless a man is sober in body and mind, he will not be watchful, either over himself or others, or against the snares of sin, Satan, and the world; and if he is not on his watch and guard, he is liable to every sin and temptation. The... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care - Την μεριμναν· Your anxiety, your distracting care, on him, for he careth for you, ὁτι αυτω μελει περι ὑμων , for he meddles or concerns himself, with the things that interest you. Whatever things concern a follower of God, whether they be spiritual or temporal, or whether in themselves great or small, God concerns himself with them; what affects them affects him; in all their afflictions he is afflicted. He who knows that God cares for him, need have no anxious... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 5:8

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... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 5:7

Verse 7 7Casting all our care He more fully sets forth here the providence of God. For whence are these proverbial sayings, “We shall have to howl among wolves,” and, “They are foolish who are like sheep, exposing themselves to wolves to be devoured,” except that we think that by our humility we set loose the reins to the audacity of the ungodly, so that they insult us more wantonly? But this fear arises from our ignorance of divine providence. Now, on the other hand, as soon as we are... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 5:8

Verse 8 8Be sober This explanation extends wider, that as we have war with a most fierce and most powerful enemy, we are to be strenuous in resisting him. But he uses a twofold metaphor, that they were to be sober, and that they were to exercise watchfulness. Surfeiting produces sloth and sleep; even so they who indulge in earthly cares and pleasures, think of nothing else, being under the power of spiritual lethargy. We now perceive what the meaning of the Apostle is. We must, he says, carry... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Peter 5:1-11

I. EXHORTATION TO ELDERS . 1. In what character Peter exhorts . "The elders therefore among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed." The link of connection is "well-doing," which is here given in detail. The first who are exhorted to do well are the elders , to be understood officially. These elders are referred to as among them, i . e . in the Churches in the various... read more