4:5a

But: In the Greek text the sentence that began at 4:4a continues here. The Berean Standard Bible and many other English versions begin a new sentence here and supply the word But to connect this sentence to the previous one. It is recommended that you begin a new sentence here in a way that is natural for your language.

they will have to give an account: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they will have to give an account means “they will have to explain/justify their actions.” The pronoun they refers to the non-Christians in 4:4. People are responsible to God for how they act. At the end of the world he will call upon everyone to examine how they have lived their lives.

Some other ways this phrase has been translated include:

they will have to explain this (New Century Version)
-or-
they will have to answer (Contemporary English Version)

4:5b

to Him who is ready to judge: There are two ways of interpreting the pronoun Him here:

(1) It refers to God, as in 1:17 and 2:23. For example:

God, who is ready to judge (New Century Version)

(Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, New Century Version)

(2) It refers to Christ. In several other verses in the New Testament he is spoken of as the judge (see Acts 10:42, 2 Timothy 4:1). For example:

Jesus Christ, who stands ready to judge (NET Bible)

(NET Bible)

Several English versions are ambiguous (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word). Either option is acceptable. If you must choose between the two options, it is recommended that you follow your national translation.

who is ready to judge: The phrase who is ready to judge implies that the judgment will take place soon. Christ will return before long, and then the final judgment will take place. Another way to translate this phrase is:

⌊God⌋ who will soon judge

the living and the dead: The phrase the living and the dead refers to those people who would be alive at the time of the judgment and those who would be already dead. Peter used this phrase in order to include all people throughout all of human history. Here is another way to translate this phrase:

everyone, both the living and the dead (New Living Translation (2004))

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