4:10a

As good stewards of the manifold grace of God: A “steward” was a servant or employee who looked after or administered another person’s property. So by calling his readers good stewards of the manifold grace of God, Peter was saying that Christians are to use wisely what God has graciously entrusted to them. Here is another way to translate this phrase:

as a good manager of God’s…gifts (Good News Translation)

the manifold grace of God: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the manifold grace of God is literally “God’s varied grace.” Peter meant that the grace was expressed in different gifts, so it may be necessary to translate this as:

God’s various gifts of grace (New Century Version)

the…grace of God: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the…grace of God refers to the gifts that God has graciously given to each of his people. Another way to translate this phrase is:

special gift (Good News Translation)

4:10b

each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another: In this verse part Peter assumed that God had given some talent or ability to each believer. In some languages it may be natural to make this explicit. It may also be necessary to break 4:10b into two shorter sentences. For example:

Each one of you has received a gift ⌊from God⌋. You should use it to serve others.

gift: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as gift here refers to the ability that God gives to each person to do certain tasks. Another way to translate this word is:

what God has given to each one

to serve one another: The phrase to serve one another refers to do things that help or benefit other people in some way. Here’s another way to translate this phrase:

for the good of others (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 4:10a–b

In some languages it may be natural to reorder some of the information in these verse parts. The grounds for the command could be put at the end. That is the order in Greek. For example:

10b Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, 10a as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (New International Version)
-or-

10b Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another, 10a as good stewards of the varied grace of God. (NET Bible)

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