What Does 1 Peter 2:20 Mean?
For what renown is there in it, if, missing the mark, you are struck with fists and endure? But if, doing good, you suffer and endure, this is favor beside God.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.THE KEY
The same word for enduring suffering appears twice, but the verse gives no honor to enduring consequences for wrongdoing and calls endurance while doing good favor with God.
THE MEANING
This verse holds two kinds of pain apart. When you suffer because of your own wrongdoing, enduring it brings no special honor; when you do good and suffer for it, that endurance is favor with God. The outward experience can look similar, while its source changes what it means.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that suffering automatically proves someone virtuous or earns honor: pain caused by one’s own wrongdoing does not carry the same meaning as pain endured while doing good.
THE ROOT
χάρις
charis
GROWS FROM
χαρι-
char-
Favor, gracious regard, or a freely given kindness.
“favor beside God” in this verse is charis. The word rendered “acceptable” is charis, favor: the verse describes endurance in doing good as favor with God, not mere tolerance. The same word appears in the previous verse, where KJV renders it “thankworthy,” joining wrongful suffering and favor in one repeated word.
ALSO GROWS
charizomai: To grant freely or show favor.
χαρίζομαι
It carries charis into an action: favor is expressed by freely granting.
charisma: A gracious gift.
χάρισμα
It shows favor taking the form of something given.
ἁμαρτάνοντες
hamartanontes
GROWS FROM
ἁμαρτ-
hamart-
To miss, fail, or do wrong.
“missing the mark” in this verse is hamartanontes. The word translated “faults” comes from the hamart- word family, associated with missing. That root makes the verse’s distinction sharper: a blow following one’s own missing is not the same as suffering while doing good.
ALSO GROWS
hamartia: Missing, wrongdoing.
ἁμαρτία
The noun form echoes the verse’s description of suffering that follows one’s own wrong.
hamartēma: A fault or wrongful act.
ἁμάρτημα
It names an act of missing, keeping the focus on what gives rise to the suffering.
ὑπομενεῖτε
hypomeneite
GROWS FROM
μένω (menō), with ὑπό (hypo, under)
To remain under; to stay or stand one’s ground.
“endure” in this verse is hypomeneite. The same verb appears in both halves of the verse, while the cause of suffering changes. Its image is remaining under hardship, not necessarily feeling calm or approving of it.
ALSO GROWS
menō: Remain, stay, abide.
μένω
This is the verb at the center of hypomenō: endurance involves remaining.
hypomonē: Endurance, steadfastness.
ὑπομονή
This related noun gives a name to the quality of remaining under pressure.
THE PATTERN
Suffering does not carry the same meaning in every case; scripture distinguishes affliction borne while doing good from the consequences of wrongdoing.
Many are the evils against the aligned one, but the LORD snatches him out of them all.Flourishing are the pursued for the sake of alignment, for theirs is the governance of the heavens.For it is better, if the will of God is so, that you suffer for doing good than for doing evil.THE THREAD
For this is favor, if one bears up under grief with God in view, suffering what is out of alignment.The Greek word translated “thankworthy” here is the same word, charis, rendered “acceptable” in verse 20. The repeated word links wrongful suffering borne for conscience toward God with favor, opening the verse’s closing phrase more fully.
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