1 Peter 5:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

NIV: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

NASB: Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

CSB: Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

NLT: Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

KJV: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

NKJV: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Peter continues a list of instructions to Christians as he prepares to end his letter.

How should believers live, believing in a real devil: a spiritual enemy with an agenda to bring harm to Christians? Peter's answer to that question begins this verse: Be sober-minded. Be alert. It's the third time in this letter Peter has urged his readers to be clear minded (1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 4:7). It matters that we are paying attention, with serious minds, to what's going on in our lives and in the world around us.

Peter writes that there is danger beyond the physical persecution some of his readers were facing. There is a deep agenda, far beyond that of the powerful men who might inflict that persecution. The devil, not the men or women who might harm us, is the real enemy of a Christian believer.

Our enemy the devil desires to devour us, to cause real and lasting harm. The Greek word here is katapiein, literally meaning to "swallow," or to "drown." Peter has made it clear that our place in eternity with our Father is secure. The devil cannot take that from us, but he does seek to damage our faith. He wants fear to shake our submission to the Father, and lies to distort our understanding of God's goodness. Since he cannot touch the believer's soul, Satan seeks to leave us as weak and ineffective servants of our King.

In the next verse, Peter will describe how to fight that enemy. Notice, also, what he doesn't tell Christians to do. He doesn't say to live in fear. Nor does he say to live as if the reality of the devil is unimportant. We are not instructed to ignore the devil, nor to cower in the shadows.

1 Peter 5:1–11 gives specific instructions to elders about how to lead the flock of God willingly, eagerly, and by their own example. All of us must live in humility toward each other and toward God, who opposes the proud. In humility, we cast our anxieties on the Father who cares for us. In alertness, we are to remain clear-minded, looking out for our enemy the devil who seeks to destroy us. We resist him by focusing on staying firm in our faith and trusting God to keep His promises.

Peter concludes his letter to the scattered Christians in Asia Minor with specific instructions. Primarily, these are targeted at those in the role of elder, about how to lead. He also provides counsel for all believers on living in humility toward each other and toward God. In humility, we wait and trust God to exalt us in His time. In humility, we cast our cares on Him. But we’re also called to remain alert, watching out for the devil and resisting him by focusing on staying firm in our faith. After this brief life of suffering, our God will bring our suffering to an end and make us strong forever.

Thus far, Peter has affirmed that Christians have been chosen by God and set aside for His purposes. We should not be surprised by suffering, and we should not respond to persecution by rebelling against our human authorities. Our suffering in both cases points the world to our hope in Christ and allows us to follow in Jesus’ steps. Peter here concludes his letter with instructions to the elders, teaching on humility, and a final warning to be sober-minded and alert.

Some 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus, Christians are facing greater persecution for their faith. How should they respond? How should we respond to suffering today? The apostle Peter writes this letter both to comfort believers and to encourage them to stay strong. He urges them to put all their hope in their perfect future with Christ, and to obey and trust Him in the present, even in their suffering. Christ suffered greatly; now the Christ-followers have the opportunity to follow Him even in this, showing His grace and power in their hopefulness, obedience, and faith.