1 Peter 4:8

“Above all, have earnest love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:8 · direct translation from the Greek

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Fervent love, an open home, and each gift used to serve othersThe Church and Community

With the Greek beneath

8

Aboveπρὸall,πάντωνhaveἔχοντεςearnestἐκτενῆloveτὴν ἀγάπηνforεἰςone another,ἑαυτοὺςbecauseὅτιloveἀγάπηcoversκαλύπτειa multitudeπλῆθοςof sins.ἁμαρτιῶν

Allusion · Proverbs 10:12

Go to Proverbs 10:12

Both texts say that love covers: “a multitude of sins” in 1 Peter, “all transgressions” in Proverbs.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

ἀγάπηνagapēnG26אַהֲבָהahavaH160“love”
καλύπτειkalypteiG2572תְּכַסֶּהtejaseH3680“cover”

1 Peter 4:8, word by word

haveἔχοντεςechontes

have

To count something or someone as one's own: goods, family, faith, power.

Where else “echontes” appears

earnestἐκτενῆektenē

earnest, constant

Earnest, constant, intense.

Where else “ektenē” appears

loveἀγάπηνagapēn

love

Love that gives itself, seeking the other's good, like God's.

Where else “agapēn” appears

coversκαλύπτειkalyptei

cover, hide

Cover, hide, conceal.

Where else “kalyptei” appears

a multitudeπλῆθοςplēthos

great number

So many things together that they cannot easily be counted.

Where else “plēthos” appears

of sinsἁμαρτιῶνhamartiōn

sin

Doing what God does not want, and the guilt it leaves.

Where else “hamartiōn” appears

Translation note

Recalls Proverbs 10:12, as in James 5:20.

The context

7But the end of all things has drawn near. So be sensible and sober for prayers.

8 · This verse (above)

9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

Read all of 1 Peter 4