"Harmonious" implies cooperation when there are individual differences. These differences can have a pleasing rather than an irritating effect. We do not all need to sing exactly the same tune, but our tune should harmonize with those of our brethren. We should be able to work together as the different parts of an athlete"s body work together to reach our common goal victoriously. [source][source][source]
"Sympathetic" means suffering with another by entering into and sharing the feelings of others rather than by having compassion on another person from a distance. It implies bearing one another"s burdens ( Galatians 6:2). [source][source][source]
"Brotherly" looks at the special love that unites believers (cf. 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 2:17). [source][source][source]
"Kind-hearted" means feeling affectionately, compassionately, and deeply for someone else. [source][source][source]
The person who is "humble in spirit" is willing to put someone else"s interests and needs before his or her own (cf. Philippians 2:3-4). This would apply to God"s purposes as well as the needs of other people. [source][source][source]
"Christians are to be emotionally involved with each other." [1][source]
These five qualities are vital to effective interpersonal relationships. They are also indispensable for maintaining oneness in marriage. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
1 Peter 3:1-12 - Christian Family-Life
In the previous chapter the Apostle had been urging the poor slaves of wealthy householders to submit quietly to wrongs, leaving God to vindicate. Here he turns to the wives of unbelieving husbands, showing that their chaste behavior, their meek and quiet spirit, their pleasant subordination of self, are the greatest arguments for our religion. What we are is more important than what we say. Our life is our best sermon. If we would expend as much care on the hidden man of the heart as many do on the outer, what lovely characters would result! When Massillon had preached on this subject of the inner and outer man before Louis XIV, the king exclaimed as he left the church, "I know those two men!"
The same temper becomes us all. Let us be compassionate to the faults of others, even when they repay our good with evil and revile our blessing. God sends rain and sun irrespective of the character of the recipients. In this way we shall inherit the blessedness to which we have been called, and see good days. [source]
Chapter Summary: 1 Peter 3
1He teaches the duty of wives and husbands to each other; 8exhorting all men to unity and love; 14and to suffer persecution 19He declares also the benefits of Christ toward the old world
Greek Commentary for 1 Peter 3:8
Finally [το τελος] Adverbial accusative. Conclusion, not of the Epistle, but only of the addresses to various classes. No verb (εστε este imperative, be) here. [source]
Likeminded [ομοπρονες] Old compound Old adjective (πιλαδελποι sunπιλοσ αδελπος paschō), in N.T. only here and Romans 12:15. Our “sympathetic” in original sense.Loving as brethren Old compound Late and rare compound (ταπεινοσ πρην eu and splagchnon), in Hippocrates, Apocrypha, in N.T. only here and Ephesians 4:32.Humble minded Late compound (tapeinosphrēn), in Plutarch, Proverbs 29:23, here only in N.T. [source]
Compassionate [συν πασχω] Old adjective (πιλαδελποι sunπιλοσ αδελπος paschō), in N.T. only here and Romans 12:15. Our “sympathetic” in original sense. [source]
Loving as brethren [ευσπλαγχνοι] Old compound Late and rare compound (ταπεινοσ πρην eu and splagchnon), in Hippocrates, Apocrypha, in N.T. only here and Ephesians 4:32.Humble minded Late compound (tapeinosphrēn), in Plutarch, Proverbs 29:23, here only in N.T. [source]
Tender-hearted [ταπεινοπρονες] Late and rare compound (ταπεινοσ πρην eu and splagchnon), in Hippocrates, Apocrypha, in N.T. only here and Ephesians 4:32. [source]
Humble minded [tapeinophrones)] Late compound (tapeinosphrēn), in Plutarch, Proverbs 29:23, here only in N.T. [source]
Of one mind [ὁμόφρονες] Rev., like-minded. Only here in New Testament. Compare Romans 12:16; Romans 15:5; Philemon 2:2, etc. Indicating unity of thought and feeling. From ὁμός , one and the same, and φρήν , the mind. [source]
Having compassion one of another [συμπαθεῖς] Only here in New Testament, though the kindred verb is found Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 10:34. The rendering is needlessly diffuse. Rev., much better, compassionate; sympathetic, in margin. Interchange of fellow-feeling in joy or sorrow. Our popular usage errs in limiting sympathy to sorrow. [source]
Love as brethren [φιλάδελφοι] Rev., more strictly, loving as brethren. Only here in New Testament. [source]
Pitiful [εὔσπλαγχνοι] Only here and Ephesians 4:32. Rev., better, tender-hearted. From εὖ , well, and σπλάγχνα , the nobler entrails, which are regarded as the seat of the affections, and hence equivalent to our popular use of heart. The original sense has given rise to the unfortunate translation bowels in the A. V., which occurs in its literal meaning only at Acts 1:18. [source]
Courteous [] The A. V. has here followed the reading of the Tex. Rec., φιλόφρονες . But the best texts read ταπεινόφρονες , humble-minded. So Rev. This occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, though the kindred noun ταπεινοφροσύνη , humility, is found often. See on ταπεινός , lowly, notes on Matthew 11:29. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Peter 3:8
Luke 7:13Had compassion [ἐσπλαγχνίσθη] From σπλάγχνα , the nobler entrails, regarded as the seat of the affections. See on pitiful, 1 Peter 3:8. [source]
Luke 1:78Tender mercy [σπλάγχνα ἐλέους] Lit., bowels of mercy. See on 1 Peter 3:8; and James 5:11. Rev. gives heart of mercy in margin. Wyc., frightfully, entrails of mercy. [source]
2 Corinthians 6:12Ye are not straitened in us [ου στενοχωρειστε εν ημιν] The same figure as in 2 Corinthians 6:11. See note on 2 Corinthians 4:8 for στενοχωρεω stenochōreō There is no restraint in me (my heart). My adversaries may have caused some of you to tighten up your affections (σπλαγχνα splagchna for affection as in James 5:11; 1 Peter 3:8). [source]
Ephesians 4:32Tenderhearted [ευσπλαγχνοι] Late word (ευ σπλαγχνα eusplagchna) once in Hippocrates, in lxx, here and 1 Peter 3:8 in N.T. [source]
Philippians 2:3In lowliness of mind [ταπεινος] Late and rare word. Not in O.T. or early Greek writers. In Josephus and Epictetus in bad sense (pusillanimity). For ostentatious humility in Corinthians Phlippians 2:18,Phlippians 2:23. One of the words, like ταπεινοπρων tapeinos (Matthew 11:29) and υπερεχοντας εαυτων tapeinophrōn (1 Peter 3:8, here alone in N.T.) that Christianity has ennobled and dignified (Acts 20:19). Better than himself (υπερεχω huperechontas heautōn). Present active participle of huperechō in intransitive sense to excel or surpass with the ablative, “excelling themselves.” See Romans 12:10. [source]
Hebrews 13:1Brotherly love [πιλαδελπια] Late word from πιλαδελπος philadelphos (1 Peter 3:8). See 1 Thessalonians 4:9. It is always in order in a church. To show love unto strangers Old word for hospitality, from πιλοχενος philoxenos (1 Timothy 3:2), in N.T. only here and Romans 12:3. In genitive case with επιλαντανεστε epilanthanesthe (present middle imperative, cf. Hebrews 6:10). Have entertained angels unawares Second aorist active indicative of λαντανω lanthanō old verb to escape notice and first aorist active participle of χενιζω xenizō old verb to entertain a guest (χενος xenos stranger), according to a classic idiom seen with λαντανω τυγχανω πτανω lanthanō class="translit"> tugchanō class="translit"> phthanō by which the chief idea is expressed by the participle (supplementary participle), here meaning, “some escaped notice when entertaining angels.” The reference is to Gen 18; 19 (Abraham and Sarah did this very thing). [source]
1 John 3:17Bowels of compassion [τὰ σπλάγχνα] See on pitiful, 1 Peter 3:8. Rev., much better, his compassion. The word only here in John. [source]
Revelation 2:23Reins [νεφροὺς] Only here in the New Testament. Strictly, kidneys. Used of the thoughts, feelings, and purposes of the soul. A similar use of the physical for the spiritual organ is σπλάγχνα bowelsfor heart. See pitiful, 1 Peter 3:8. [source]
What do the individual words in 1 Peter 3:8 mean?
-Nowthe endAll [be]single-mindedsympatheticloving as brotherstender-heartedhumble
Greek Commentary for 1 Peter 3:8
Adverbial accusative. Conclusion, not of the Epistle, but only of the addresses to various classes. No verb (εστε este imperative, be) here. [source]
Old compound Old adjective (πιλαδελποι sunπιλοσ αδελπος paschō), in N.T. only here and Romans 12:15. Our “sympathetic” in original sense.Loving as brethren Old compound Late and rare compound (ταπεινοσ πρην eu and splagchnon), in Hippocrates, Apocrypha, in N.T. only here and Ephesians 4:32.Humble minded Late compound (tapeinosphrēn), in Plutarch, Proverbs 29:23, here only in N.T. [source]
Old adjective (πιλαδελποι sunπιλοσ αδελπος paschō), in N.T. only here and Romans 12:15. Our “sympathetic” in original sense. [source]
Old compound Late and rare compound (ταπεινοσ πρην eu and splagchnon), in Hippocrates, Apocrypha, in N.T. only here and Ephesians 4:32.Humble minded Late compound (tapeinosphrēn), in Plutarch, Proverbs 29:23, here only in N.T. [source]
Late and rare compound (ταπεινοσ πρην eu and splagchnon), in Hippocrates, Apocrypha, in N.T. only here and Ephesians 4:32. [source]
Late compound (tapeinosphrēn), in Plutarch, Proverbs 29:23, here only in N.T. [source]
Rev., like-minded. Only here in New Testament. Compare Romans 12:16; Romans 15:5; Philemon 2:2, etc. Indicating unity of thought and feeling. From ὁμός , one and the same, and φρήν , the mind. [source]
Only here in New Testament, though the kindred verb is found Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 10:34. The rendering is needlessly diffuse. Rev., much better, compassionate; sympathetic, in margin. Interchange of fellow-feeling in joy or sorrow. Our popular usage errs in limiting sympathy to sorrow. [source]
Rev., more strictly, loving as brethren. Only here in New Testament. [source]
Only here and Ephesians 4:32. Rev., better, tender-hearted. From εὖ , well, and σπλάγχνα , the nobler entrails, which are regarded as the seat of the affections, and hence equivalent to our popular use of heart. The original sense has given rise to the unfortunate translation bowels in the A. V., which occurs in its literal meaning only at Acts 1:18. [source]
The A. V. has here followed the reading of the Tex. Rec., φιλόφρονες . But the best texts read ταπεινόφρονες , humble-minded. So Rev. This occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, though the kindred noun ταπεινοφροσύνη , humility, is found often. See on ταπεινός , lowly, notes on Matthew 11:29. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Peter 3:8
From σπλάγχνα , the nobler entrails, regarded as the seat of the affections. See on pitiful, 1 Peter 3:8. [source]
Lit., bowels of mercy. See on 1 Peter 3:8; and James 5:11. Rev. gives heart of mercy in margin. Wyc., frightfully, entrails of mercy. [source]
Bowels of mercy literally (1 Peter 3:8; James 3:11). Revised margin has it, hearts of mercy. [source]
See on 1 Peter 3:8; see on James 5:11. Rev., affections. It is your love that is contracted. [source]
The same figure as in 2 Corinthians 6:11. See note on 2 Corinthians 4:8 for στενοχωρεω stenochōreō There is no restraint in me (my heart). My adversaries may have caused some of you to tighten up your affections (σπλαγχνα splagchna for affection as in James 5:11; 1 Peter 3:8). [source]
Late word (ευ σπλαγχνα eusplagchna) once in Hippocrates, in lxx, here and 1 Peter 3:8 in N.T. [source]
Late and rare word. Not in O.T. or early Greek writers. In Josephus and Epictetus in bad sense (pusillanimity). For ostentatious humility in Corinthians Phlippians 2:18, Phlippians 2:23. One of the words, like ταπεινοπρων tapeinos (Matthew 11:29) and υπερεχοντας εαυτων tapeinophrōn (1 Peter 3:8, here alone in N.T.) that Christianity has ennobled and dignified (Acts 20:19). Better than himself (υπερεχω huperechontas heautōn). Present active participle of huperechō in intransitive sense to excel or surpass with the ablative, “excelling themselves.” See Romans 12:10. [source]
See on 1 Peter 3:8; see on 2 Corinthians 1:3. Rev., a heart of compassion. [source]
Rev., hearts. See on 1 Peter 3:8. [source]
Late word from πιλαδελπος philadelphos (1 Peter 3:8). See 1 Thessalonians 4:9. It is always in order in a church. To show love unto strangers Old word for hospitality, from πιλοχενος philoxenos (1 Timothy 3:2), in N.T. only here and Romans 12:3. In genitive case with επιλαντανεστε epilanthanesthe (present middle imperative, cf. Hebrews 6:10). Have entertained angels unawares Second aorist active indicative of λαντανω lanthanō old verb to escape notice and first aorist active participle of χενιζω xenizō old verb to entertain a guest (χενος xenos stranger), according to a classic idiom seen with λαντανω τυγχανω πτανω lanthanō class="translit"> tugchanō class="translit"> phthanō by which the chief idea is expressed by the participle (supplementary participle), here meaning, “some escaped notice when entertaining angels.” The reference is to Gen 18; 19 (Abraham and Sarah did this very thing). [source]
Reason for the entire exhortation in 1 Peter 3:8, 1 Peter 3:9 and introducing in 1 Peter 3:10-12 a quotation from Psalm 34:13-17 with some slight changes. [source]
See on pitiful, 1 Peter 3:8. Rev., much better, his compassion. The word only here in John. [source]
Only here in the New Testament. Strictly, kidneys. Used of the thoughts, feelings, and purposes of the soul. A similar use of the physical for the spiritual organ is σπλάγχνα bowelsfor heart. See pitiful, 1 Peter 3:8. [source]