The Meaning of 1 Peter 4:15 Explained

1 Peter 4:15

KJV: But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

YLT: for let none of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evil-doer, or as an inspector into other men's matters;

Darby: Let none of you suffer indeed as murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or as overseer of other people's matters;

ASV: For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  let  none  of you  suffer  as  a murderer,  or  [as] a thief,  or  [as] an evildoer,  or  as  a busybody in other men's matters. 

What does 1 Peter 4:15 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Peter 4:12-19 - Suffering As A Christian
We are called upon to share our Savior's sufferings-not those of His substitution, but His daily self-denial, the hatred of men, the anguish of His soul over the obstinacy and opposition of the world. The soldier who is nearest his leader, charging through the mêlée of the fight, is likely to get the same treatment as is meted out to his prince. It is not strange! It would be strange if it were not so, and if the traits in us that characterize our Lord did not win the same hatred as they won for Him.
The salvation of the righteous is a task of enormous difficulty. It requires the dead-lift of Omnipotence. Nothing less will suffice than the infinite grace of the Father, the blood of the Son, and the patience of the Holy Spirit. What will be the fate of those who refuse these! Will they appear at the marriage-supper of the Lamb; and if not-where! What a beautiful closing verse! The committal of the soul, not only to the Savior, but to the Creator. After all, He who made can best understand, adjust and satisfy the nature which He Himself has given! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Peter 4

1  He exhorts them to cease from sin and live fore God,
12  and comforts them against persecution

Greek Commentary for 1 Peter 4:15

Let no one of you suffer [μη τις υμων πασχετω]
Prohibition with μη — mē and present active imperative (habit prohibited). [source]
As [ως]
Charged as and being so. Two specific crimes (murderer, thief) and one general phrase Note η ως — ē hōs (or as) = or “also only as” (Wohlenberg). The word was apparently coined by Peter (occurring elsewhere only in Dionys. Areop. and late eccles. writers) from αλλοτριος — allotrios (belonging to another, 2 Corinthians 10:15) and επισκοπος — episkopos overseer, inspector, 1 Peter 2:25). The idea is apparently one who spies out the affairs of other men. Deissmann (Bible Studies, p. 224) gives a second-century papyrus with αλλοτριων επιτυμητης — allotriōn epithumētēs a speculator alienorum. Epictetus has a like idea (iii. 22. 97). Biggs takes it to refer to “things forbidden.” Clement of Alexandria tells of a disciple of the Apostle John who became a bandit chief. Ramsay (Church in the Roman Empire, pp. 293, 348) thinks the word refers to breaking up family relationships. Hart refers us to the gadders-about in 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:11 and women as gossipers in 1 Thessalonians 5:13. It is interesting to note also that επισκοπος — episkopos here is the word for “bishop” and so suggests also preachers meddling in the work of other preachers. [source]
A busybody in other men's matters [ἀλλοτριοεπίσκοπος]
Only here in New Testament. Lit., the overseer of another's matters. One who usurps authority in matters not within his province. Rev., meddler. Compare Luke 12:13, Luke 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:11. It may refer to the officious interference of Christians in the affairs of their Gentile neighbors, through excess of zeal to conform them to the Christian standard. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Peter 4:15 mean?

Not for any of you let suffer as a murderer or a thief an evildoer a troublesome meddler
μὴ γάρ τις ὑμῶν πασχέτω ὡς φονεὺς κλέπτης κακοποιὸς ἀλλοτριεπίσκοπος

τις  any 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ὑμῶν  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
πασχέτω  let  suffer 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πάσχω  
Sense: to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo.
φονεὺς  a  murderer 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: φονεύς  
Sense: a murderer, a homicide.
κλέπτης  a  thief 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κλέπτης  
Sense: an embezzler, pilferer.
κακοποιὸς  an  evildoer 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κακοποιός  
Sense: an evil doer, malefactor.
ἀλλοτριεπίσκοπος  a  troublesome  meddler 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀλλοτριεπίσκοπος  
Sense: one who takes the supervision of affairs pertaining to others and in no wise to himself, a meddler in other men’s affairs.