1 Peter 4:5

5 And they shall give reason to him, that is ready to deem the quick and the dead.

1 Peter 4:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Peter 4:5

Who shall give account to him
"To God himself", as the Syriac version reads; of all their blasphemies, and hard speeches spoken by them against God, Christ, the Gospel, and good men, and receive their just punishment. This the apostle says, to calm the minds of God's people, and make them to sit easy under all censures, reproaches, and calumnies, and not think of avenging themselves, but commit themselves to him that will judge righteously; even to him,

that is ready to judge the quick and the dead;
that is, all men, such as will be found alive when he comes, and those that have died before, who will then be raised from the dead, to receive their judgment; and by whom is meant the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all judgment is committed; and who is ordained to be the Judge of quick and dead, and will judge both at his appearing and kingdom; yea, the day is appointed when this judgment will proceed by him, and he is at the door; so that he may be truly said to be ready for it, as he is every way equal to it, and will finish it with righteousness.

1 Peter 4:5 In-Context

3 For the time that is passed [Soothly the time passed] is enough to the will of heathen men to be ended, which walked in lecheries, and lusts, in much drinking of wine, in unmeasurable eatings [in oft eatings], and drinkings, and unleaveful worshipping of maumets [and unleaveful worshippings of idols].

4 In which now they be astonished, in which thing they wonder, for ye run not together into the same confusion of lechery, and blaspheme [blaspheming].

5 And they shall give reason to him, that is ready to deem the quick and the dead.

6 For why for this thing it is preached also to dead men, that they be deemed by men in flesh, and that they live by God in spirit. [+For why for this thing to dead men it is evangelized also, that they be deemed soothly after men in flesh, but that they live after God in spirit.]

7 For the end of all things shall approach [Forsooth the end of all things shall nigh]. Therefore be ye prudent, and wake ye in prayers;