Forasmuch then as AL-MASIH1 suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; 2that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God2. 3For we have spent enough of our past time living in doing the desire of the disbelievers, and to have walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. 4They think it is strange that you do not run with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming. 5They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For to this end was the Injil3 preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.
7But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer. 8And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9Be hospitable one to another without grumbling. 10According as each has received a gift, be ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the grace of God in its various forms. 11If any man speaks, let it be as it were oracles of God. If any man serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through ‘ISA4 AL-MASIH, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12Beloved, do not be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. 13But because you are partakers of AL-MASIH’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also you may rejoice with great joy. 14If you are insulted for the Name of AL-MASIH, blessed are you; because the Spirit5 of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified. 15For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or as a meddler in other men’s matters. 16But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.
17For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who do not obey the Injil of God?
18“If the righteous are saved with difficulty, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!” 6
19Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God for doing good, entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.
- 4:1 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 4:2 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 4:6 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to,
1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books,
2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or,
3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed in the holy Injil (or New Testament). ↩︎ - 4:11 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 4:14 Spirit, or Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God; not an angel, created being, nor an impersonal force, but the uncreated, eternal Spirit of God himself. The Spirit was present and active at the creation of heaven and earth (see Genesis 1:2), and today lives inside of every follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH, empowering them to live in a way pleasing to God. ↩︎
- 4:18 Quoting the LXX version of the Taurat, Proverbs 11:31 which is identical to what is written above. The original Hebrew text of the verse translates as: “If the righteous are repaid on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!” ↩︎