1 Peter 5:8

 1 Peter 5:8

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

a. ASV: Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

   

b. YLT: Be sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, doth walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

 

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1.“Be sober, be vigilant…”

a. [Be] sober [Strong: 3525 nḗphō, nay'-fo; of uncertain affinity; to abstain from wine (keep sober), i.e. (figuratively) be discreet:—be sober, watch.] [Zodhiates: To be sober minded, watchful, circumspect. The word does not mean to abstain from the use of alcohol but rather to refrain from the abuse of it which leads to intoxication.] [Bullinger: To be sober, temperate, abstinate, esp., in respect to wine. Here…sober minded, watchful, circumspect.] [Vines: Signifies to be free from the influence of intoxicants; in the NT metaphorically, it does not in itself imply watchfulness, but is used in association with it.]

1). Three times in this epistle Peter tells us to be sober: 1 Peter 1:13; 4:7; 5:8. As the definitions point out, he is speaking spiritually, that we are to be alert in our spiritual senses.  

2). Isaiah 29:9, 10 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

29:10 For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

b. [be] vigilant [Strong: 1127 grēgoreúō, gray-gor-yoo'-o; from G1453; to keep awake, i.e. watch (literally or figuratively):—be vigilant, wake, (be) watch(-ful).] [Vines: Spiritual alertness.] [Zodhiates: To watch, refrain from sleep. It was transferred in meaning from the physical to the moral sphere.]

1). This word also speaks about our spiritual senses. It is used 27 times in the NT, 21 times it is  rendered watch; 1 time wake; 1 time vigilant and 4 times exercise or exercised. All of these uses speak to our spiritual senses. 

 2). Unforgiveness on our part will give the devil an advantage over us. One of the ways to be vigilant is to learn and prevent the devices or methods he uses to war against us.

a). 2 Corinthians 2:10, 11 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

3). We must be vigilant, we must be sober in order to hear what the Spirit or our own spiritual senses tell us and warn us. It is our responsibility. I believe our soberness our vigilance can prevent or minimize Satan’s attacks.

2. “…because your adversary the devil…”

a. because [Strong: 3754 hóti, hot'-ee; neuter of G3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:—as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

b. your [Strong: 5216 hymōn, hoo-mone'; genitive case of G5210; of (from or concerning) you:—ye, you, your (own, -selves).]

c. [Strong: 3588. [ho] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ho] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

d. adversary [Strong: 476 antídikos, an-tid'-ee-kos; from G473 and G1349; an opponent (in a lawsuit); specially, Satan (as the arch-enemy):—adversary.]

e. [the] devil [Strong: 1228 diábolos, dee-ab'-ol-os; from G1225; a traducer; specially, Satan (compare H7854):—false accuser, devil, slanderer.]

1). The devil is our adversary our enemy.

2. “...as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour.”

a. as [Strong: 5613 hōs, hoce; probably adverb of comparative from G3739; which how, i.e. in that manner (very variously used, as follows):—about, after (that), (according) as (it had been, it were), as soon (as), even as (like), for, how (greatly), like (as, unto), since, so (that), that, to wit, unto, when(-soever), while, × with all speed.]

 

b. [a] roaring [Strong: ōrýomai, o-roo'-om-ahee; middle voice of an apparently primary verb; to "roar":—roar.]

 

c. lion [Strong: 3023 léōn, leh-ohn'; a primary word; a "lion":—lion.]

 

d. walketh about [Strong: peripatéō, per-ee-pat-eh'-o; from G4012 and G3961; to tread all around, i.e. walk at large (especially as proof of ability); figuratively, to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary):—go, be occupied with, walk (about).]

 

e. seeking [Strong: 2212 zētéō, dzay-teh'-o; of uncertain affinity; to seek (literally or figuratively); specially, (by Hebraism) to worship (God), or (in a bad sense) to plot (against life):—be (go) about, desire, endeavour, enquire (for), require, (X will) seek (after, for, means).]

   

g. whom [Strong: 5101 tís, tis; probably emphatic of G5100; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):—every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.]

 

h. [he may] devour [Strong: 2666 katapínō, kat-ap-ee'-no; from G2596 and G4095; to drink down, i.e. gulp entire (literally or figuratively):—devour, drown, swallow (up).]

1). There are a couple of interesting passages in John and Job that sheds light on this verse.

a). John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” 

Job 1:6-7 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou?  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

b). If we add some of the words of John and some words of 1 Peter 5:8 onto Job 1:7 we can see the devil’s motives more clearly. “Then Satan answered the LORD and said, From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it, to steal, to kill, to destroy and seeking whom I may devour.” 

2). ICR Days of Praise 7/12/2023 The devil is far more powerful and intelligent (as well as subtle and seductive in his malignant purposes) than any combination of human enemies we could ever face, and we would be utterly unable to defeat him with our own human resources. Yet, God’s Word makes it plain that we are neither to yield to him nor flee from him. Instead, the admonition is: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). But how can we resist such a mighty foe? As in our text, we must constantly maintain sobriety and vigilance against his enticements, and be careful to remain “steadfast in the faith.” Otherwise, the pseudo-intellectualism and social peer pressure to which we are subjected daily could quickly persuade us to compromise the faith, or even to depart from the faith. We are commanded not to yield and not to compromise. Instead, we must “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” We have “the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the [wicked one],” and also “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:11, 16-17). This mighty sword with which we can make Satan flee from us is literally “the saying of God”—that is, an appropriate individual word from the complete Word of God. This was the instrument with which the Lord Jesus Himself resisted the devil, parrying each temptation with an incisive thrust of Scripture. The result then—as it will be now with us also—was that the devil “departed from him for a season” (Luke 4:13). HMM

3). ICR Days of Praise, 2/6/2024: This grave warning concerning the devil was given not only to young Christians, easily subject to temptations, but also to “the elders which are among you” (v. 1). It often seems, in fact, that Satan’s greatest victories are won when he can cause the fall of a Christian leader, thereby not only destroying that leader’s influence for Christ but also giving “great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme” (2 Samuel 12:14). The devil is a roaring lion, but he doesn’t come as such. If he did, the intended victim would flee. He is, above all, the one “which deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation 12:9), “transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). As he did with Mother Eve, the “subtle” one will insidiously appeal to our pride, or our aesthetic sense, or our appetite, or our desire for material things. Peter could speak from bitter experience. Satan had desired to “sift you as wheat,” Jesus had told him, but he foolishly boasted that he would stand true (Luke 22:31-34). No wonder Peter could warn with such urgency: “Be sober, be vigilant.” Note particularly that in the context, he is especially warning against greed (1 Peter 5:2) and pride (vv. 5-6). We must not allow Satan to “get an advantage of us,” Paul says, “for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Though Satan is deceptive and powerful, we need never fall to his tempting if we simply—along with staying sober and vigilant—“submit [ourselves] therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). HMM