1 Peter 4:12

Contextual Overview

¹²Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹² Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;¹²Don't wig out when you suffer for the sake of Christ. It don't mean you're doing something wrong. It means you're doing something right. ¹² Dear brothers, do not be surprised, as if it was something strange, if your faith is tested as by fire: ¹² Beloved, take not [as] strange the fire [of persecution] which has taken place amongst you for [your] trial, as if a strange thing was happening to you; ¹² Beloved, don't be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. ¹² Beloved, wonder not at the burning which is among you, which is for your trial, as if some strange thing befell you: But as ye partake of the sufferings of Christ, ¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at finding that that scorching flame of persecution is raging among you to put you to the test--as though some surprising thing were accidentally happening to you. ¹² Beloued, thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened vnto you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

think: 1 Peter 4:4, Isaiah 28:21

the fiery: 1 Peter 1:7, Daniel 11:35, 1 Corinthians 3:13

as: 1 Peter 5:9, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Thessalonians 3:2-4, 2 Timothy 3:12

Reciprocal: Numbers 31:23 - abide Judges 3:1 - prove 2 Samuel 16:12 - requite 1 Kings 17:17 - the son of the woman Psalms 11:5 - trieth Psalms 34:19 - Many Proverbs 27:17 - so Proverbs 27:21 - the fining Isaiah 24:15 - glorify Isaiah 43:2 - when thou walkest Isaiah 48:10 - I have refined Isaiah 66:5 - but Jeremiah 6:29 - the founder Jeremiah 9:7 - I will Jeremiah 12:5 - thou hast Ezekiel 22:15 - consume Daniel 3:23 - fell Habakkuk 3:18 - I will rejoice Zechariah 13:9 - bring Malachi 3:3 - sit Matthew 5:10 - are Mark 8:35 - for Mark 10:30 - with persecutions Luke 6:22 - when men Luke 21:12 - before John 12:42 - lest Acts 14:22 - we Romans 8:35 - shall tribulation 1 Corinthians 4:12 - being persecuted 2 Corinthians 4:8 - yet Philippians 1:13 - in Christ Philippians 1:28 - an 1 Thessalonians 3:3 - moved Hebrews 11:17 - when Hebrews 11:25 - Choosing Hebrews 11:34 - Quenched 1 Peter 4:19 - let Revelation 3:10 - to try Revelation 15:2 - mingled

Cross-References

Genesis 4:3
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD .

Genesis 4:3
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord .

Genesis 4:3
So it happened in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh of the fruit of the ground.

Genesis 4:3
So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground.

Genesis 4:3
And in processe of dayes it came to passe, that Cain brought of the fruite of the grounde, an oblation vnto ye lorde:

Genesis 4:3
At harvest time, Cain brought a gift to the Lord . He brought some of the food that he grew from the ground, but Abel brought some animals from his flock. He chose some of his best sheep and brought the best parts from them. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift.

Genesis 4:3
In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground,

Genesis 4:3
Sotheli it was don after many daies, that Cayn offride yiftis to the Lord of the fruytis of erthe;

Genesis 4:3
And in processe of time it came to passe, that Cain brought of the fruite of the ground, an offering vnto the LORD.

Genesis 4:3
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial,.... By which may be meant either the destruction of Jerusalem, which was at hand, and of which the apostle may be thought to give the Jews he writes to notice of before hand; that they might be prepared for it, and not be overwhelmed with consternation and amazement when they should hear of it; who, though in other countries, must be affected with it, and would be a trying dispensation to them: or else the afflictions and persecutions which daily come upon them, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; signified by "fire" or "burning", because grievous to the flesh, and gave great uneasiness, distress, and pain to it; and because of the fury of men, and the violence and fierceness of their rage, expressed thereby; as also because the people of God under them are sometimes ready to conceive that the wrath of God is poured out, like fire, upon them. But the apostle would not have these saints entertain any such thoughts, and therefore he calls them "beloved"; that is, of God, as they were notwithstanding all the fiery trials and afflictions which were brought upon them; or he means, that they were beloved by him, and dear unto him, and other saints, though they were ill treated and reproached by the world: the Syriac and Arabic versions read, "my beloved"; and the Ethiopic version, "our brethren": and the apostle exhorts them not to look upon their afflictions that either did or should attend them as strange and uncommon things; since afflictions, of whatsoever kind, are not things of chance, and do not rise up out of the dust, but are by the appointment, and according to the will of God; and are also the common lot of the people of God in all ages, from the beginning of the world, the same afflictions are accomplished in others; yea, Christ himself endured the same hatred, reproach, and contradiction of sinners, against himself; and they are what he has given his people reason to expect, having told them of them before hand, that they might not be offended at them; and as they lay in his way to glory, it need not seem strange that the saints also should, through many tribulations, enter the kingdom. Moreover, this fiery dispensation, be it what it will, was not to destroy them, but to try them, and that for their good, profit, and advantage; just as gold and silver are tried in the fire, and lose their dross, and become purer and brighter:

which is to try you; afflictions try the graces of the saints; as their faith in Christ, which becomes thereby much more precious than of gold that perisheth; and their love to him, by which it appears that no tribulation can separate them from it, nor many waters and floods of afflictions drown it; and their hope of eternal life, which grows more lively and strong, and is as an anchor, sure and steadfast, amidst the greatest storms. These try a man's profession of religion, whether it is took up on good principles, and without sinister views; since, if it is not, when persecution, because of the word, comes, he is offended and gone; and likewise what a man's principles are, whether worth suffering for or not; and whether they will bear him up, and he abide by them, when called to suffer for them; and therefore, since such ends are answered by fiery trials, they should not be looked upon as strange and unusual things: as though some strange thing happened unto you; which was never known and heard of before; and as if useless, and of no service, and as foreign to the characters, cases, and circumstances of the saints in this world. The apostle in this verse returns to his former argument, to animate and encourage the saints in suffering afflictions patiently for righteousness sake.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Beloved, think it not strange - Do not consider it as anything which you had no reason to expect; as anything which may not happen to others also.

Concerning the fiery trial which is to try you - Referring, doubtless, to some severe persecution which was then impending. We have not the means of determining precisely what this was. The word rendered “fiery trial” (πυρώσει purōsei) occurs only here and in Revelation 18:9, Revelation 18:18; in both of which latter places it is rendered burning. It means, properly, a being on fire, burning, conflagration; and then any severe trial. It cannot be demonstrated from this word that they were literally to suffer by fire, but it is clear that some heavy calamity was before them.

As though some strange thing happened unto you - Something unusual; something which did not occur to others.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 12. Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial — πυρωσει. The burning. The metaphor is old, but noble; it represents the Christians at Pontus as having fire cast upon them for the trying of their faith, as gold is tried by fire, 1 Peter 1:7, to which the apostle alludes.-Macknight.

St. Peter returns here to what he had often touched upon in this epistle, namely, to exhort the Christians to behave with patience and integrity under their present severe persecution; to which purpose he uses the following arguments:-

First, He intimates that it was not a strange or unusual thing for the people of God to be persecuted.

Secondly, That if they suffered here as Christ did, they should hereafter be glorified with him.

Thirdly, Besides the prospect of that future glory; they had at present the Spirit of God for their support and comfort.

Fourthly, That it was an honour for any of them to suffer, not as a malefactor, but as a Christian.

Fifthly, Though the afflictions began with the Christians, yet the weight of the storm would fall upon the unbelievers. From these considerations he exhorted them to persevere in their duty, and trust all events with God. See Dodd.