The Meaning of 1 Peter 5:6 Explained

1 Peter 5:6

KJV: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

YLT: be humbled, then, under the powerful hand of God, that you He may exalt in good time,

Darby: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the due time;

ASV: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Humble yourselves  therefore  under  the mighty  hand  of God,  that  he may exalt  you  in  due time: 

What does 1 Peter 5:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God"s almighty hand had permitted affliction to touch Peter"s readers. The apostle urged them to submit to God"s working in their lives as to the skillful hand of a surgeon. He assured them that God would raise them up eventually better off for their suffering (cf. Luke 14:11; James 1:2-4). Peter had learned to submit to God"s hand on his own life, though at times he had not been as submissive as he should have been. The Old Testament writers used God"s hand as a symbol of discipline ( Exodus 3:19; Exodus 6:1; Job 30:21; Psalm 32:4) and deliverance ( Deuteronomy 9:26; Ezekiel 20:34).

Context Summary

1 Peter 5:1-7 - Serving One Another
According to these words Peter, though he stood at a distance, must have been an eyewitness of the Savior's death. He is careful to speak of the glory in the same breath as the sufferings, because if we endure the one, we shall share the other. Positions of influence in the Church in those days involved grave risks, but the Apostle believed that love to Christ would induce men to take the place of under-shepherds to the flock of God, and that they would use their power with gentleness, humility and holy consistency.
The younger men may include the deacons, but the all, 1 Peter 5:5, refers to the entire membership. They were to gird on humility, as a slave his towel, that they might serve one another, John 13:4. Those who humble themselves in the profoundest loyalty toward God stand as rocks before their fellows. Remember Luther's-"Here I stand, I can do no other." You cannot say, "Nobody cares what becomes of me." God cares, and with an infinite tenderness. He cared before you cast your care on Him! God is linked to your little life by His tender regard and care for you. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Peter 5

1  He exhorts the elders to feed their flocks;
5  the younger to obey;
8  and all to be sober, watchful, and constant in the faith;
9  and to resist the cruel adversary the devil

Greek Commentary for 1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves therefore [ταπεινωτητε ουν]
First aorist passive imperative of ταπεινοω — tapeinoō old verb, for which see Matthew 18:4. Peter is here in the role of a preacher of humility. “Be humbled.” [source]
Under the mighty hand of God [υπο την κραταιαν χειρα του τεου]
Common O.T. picture (Exodus 3:19; Ezekiel 20:33, etc.).That he may exalt you (ινα υπσωσηι — hina hupsōsēi). Purpose clause with ινα — hina and first aorist active subjunctive of υπσοω — hupsoō Cf. Luke 14:11; Philemon 2:9.In due time Same phrase in Matthew 24:45. [source]
That he may exalt you [ινα υπσωσηι]
Purpose clause with ινα — hina and first aorist active subjunctive of υπσοω — hupsoō Cf. Luke 14:11; Philemon 2:9. [source]
In due time [εν καιρωι]
Same phrase in Matthew 24:45. [source]
Mighty hand [κραταιὰν χεῖρα]
A phrase found nowhere else in the New Testament, but occurring in the Septuagint, Deuteronomy 3:24; Job 30:21. The adjective κραταιὰν , mighty, is, moreover, used only here. Compare Luke href="/desk/?q=lu+1:51&sr=1">Luke 1:51, Luke 1:52. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Peter 5:6

John 3:14 Lifted up [ὑψωθῆναι]
The following are the uses of the word in the New Testament: The exaltation of pride (Matthew 11:23; Luke 10:15; Luke 14:11). The raising of the humble (Luke 1:52; James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). The exaltation of Christ in glory (Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31). The uplifting on the cross (John 3:14; John 8:28; John 12:32, John 12:34). The reference here is to the crucifixion, but beyond that, to the glorification of Christ. It is characteristic of John to blend the two ideas of Christ's passion and glory (John 8:28; John 12:32). Thus, when Judas went out to betray him, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of man glorified” (John 13:31). Hence the believer overcomes the world through faith in Him who came not by water only, but by water and blood (1 John 5:4-6). [source]
Acts 13:11 Upon thee [επι σε]
The use of επι — epi with the accusative is rich and varied, the precise shade of meaning depending on the content. The “hand of the Lord” might be kindly (Acts 11:21) or hostile (Hebrews 10:31), but when God‘s hand touches one‘s life (Job 19:21) it may be in judgment as here with Elymas. He has not humbled himself under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6). [source]
James 4:10 Humble yourselves [ταπεινωτητε]
First aorist passive imperative of ταπεινοω — tapeinoō old verb from ταπεινος — tapeinos (James 1:9), as in Matthew 18:4. The passive here has almost the middle or reflexive sense. The middle voice was already giving way to the passive. See 1 Peter 5:6 for this same form with the same promise of exaltation. [source]
1 Peter 1:11 What time or what manner of time [εις τινα η ποιον καιρον]
Proper sense of ποιος — poios (qualitative interrogative) kept here as in 1 Corinthians 15:35, Romans 3:27, though it is losing its distinctive sense from τις — tis (Acts 23:34). The prophets knew what they prophesied, but not at what time the Messianic prophecies would be fulfilled.The Spirit of Christ which was in them (το εν αυτοις πνευμα Χριστου — to en autois pneuma Christou). Peter definitely asserts here that the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was in the Old Testament prophets, the Holy Spirit called the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9), who spoke to the prophets as he would speak to the apostles (John 16:14).Did point unto Imperfect active of δηλοω — dēloō to make plain, “did keep on pointing to,” though they did not clearly perceive the time.When it testified beforehand (προμαρτυρομενον — promarturomenon). Present middle participle of προμαρτυρομαι — promarturomai a late compound unknown elsewhere save in a writer of the fourteenth century (Theodorus Mech.) and now in a papyrus of the eighth. It is neuter here because πνευμα — pneuma is neuter, but this grammatical gender should not be retained as “it” in English, but should be rendered “he” (and so as to Acts 8:15). Here we have predictive prophecy concerning the Messiah, though some modern critics fail to find predictions of the Messiah in the Old Testament.The sufferings of Christ “The sufferings for (destined for) Christ” like the use of εις — eis in 1 Peter 1:10 “The after these things (sufferings) glories.” The plural of δοχα — doxa is rare, but occurs in Exodus 15:11; Hosea 9:11. The glories of Christ followed the sufferings as in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1, 1 Peter 5:6. [source]
1 Peter 1:11 Did point unto [εδηλου]
Imperfect active of δηλοω — dēloō to make plain, “did keep on pointing to,” though they did not clearly perceive the time.When it testified beforehand (προμαρτυρομενον — promarturomenon). Present middle participle of προμαρτυρομαι — promarturomai a late compound unknown elsewhere save in a writer of the fourteenth century (Theodorus Mech.) and now in a papyrus of the eighth. It is neuter here because πνευμα — pneuma is neuter, but this grammatical gender should not be retained as “it” in English, but should be rendered “he” (and so as to Acts 8:15). Here we have predictive prophecy concerning the Messiah, though some modern critics fail to find predictions of the Messiah in the Old Testament.The sufferings of Christ “The sufferings for (destined for) Christ” like the use of εις — eis in 1 Peter 1:10 “The after these things (sufferings) glories.” The plural of δοχα — doxa is rare, but occurs in Exodus 15:11; Hosea 9:11. The glories of Christ followed the sufferings as in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1, 1 Peter 5:6. [source]
1 Peter 1:11 The sufferings of Christ [τα εις Χριστον πατηματα]
“The sufferings for (destined for) Christ” like the use of εις — eis in 1 Peter 1:10 “The after these things (sufferings) glories.” The plural of δοχα — doxa is rare, but occurs in Exodus 15:11; Hosea 9:11. The glories of Christ followed the sufferings as in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1, 1 Peter 5:6. [source]
1 Peter 1:11 The glories that should follow them [τας μετα ταυτα δοχας]
“The after these things (sufferings) glories.” The plural of δοχα — doxa is rare, but occurs in Exodus 15:11; Hosea 9:11. The glories of Christ followed the sufferings as in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1, 1 Peter 5:6. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Peter 5:6 mean?

Be humbled therefore under the mighty hand - of God so that you He may exalt in [due] time
Ταπεινώθητε οὖν ὑπὸ τὴν κραταιὰν χεῖρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἵνα ὑμᾶς ὑψώσῃ ἐν καιρῷ

Ταπεινώθητε  Be  humbled 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Passive, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ταπεινόω  
Sense: to make low, bring low.
ὑπὸ  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ὑπό  
Sense: by, under.
κραταιὰν  mighty 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: κραταιός  
Sense: mighty.
χεῖρα  hand 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: χείρ  
Sense: by the help or agency of any one, by means of any one.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
ὑψώσῃ  He  may  exalt 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὑψόω  
Sense: to lift up on high, to exalt.
καιρῷ  [due]  time 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: καιρός  
Sense: due measure.