5:9a

Resist him: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Resist him means to refuse to do what Satan wants. Believers should oppose Satan by not yielding to temptation. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

Refuse to give in to him (New Century Version)
-or-
Stand up to him (Revised English Bible)

standing firm in your faith: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as standing firm in your faith means “continuing to trust in God strongly.” Some other ways to translate standing firm include:

stay strong (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
be strong (New Living Translation (2004))

your faith: There are two ways to understand the Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as your faith, which is literally “the faith”:

(1) It means your faith and refers to the believer’s personal trust in God. For example:

your faith (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version)

(2) It means the faith and refers to the Christian religion. For example:

the faith (God’s Word)

(King James Version, New International Version, God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with the majority of English versions and commentaries.

General Comment on 5:9a

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of these clauses. For example:

Be firm in your faith and resist him (Good News Translation)

5:9b

and in the knowledge that: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and in the knowledge that is literally “knowing.” It introduces a reason for resisting the devil and staying firm in one’s faith. That reason is given in 5:9c. Other ways of translating this word include:

Remember that (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
You know that (Contemporary English Version)

5:9c

your brothers: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as your brothers here is literally “your brotherhood.” It refers to other Christians, to people who believed in Jesus Christ as Peter’s readers did. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

your Christian brothers and sisters (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
other believers (God’s Word)

are undergoing the same kinds of suffering: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as are undergoing the same kind of sufferings suggests that it was necessary for the believers to suffer in this way. The suffering was something that had to be endured. It was a necessary part of God’s purpose. The Revised Standard Version makes this explicit:

the same experience of suffering is required

Other English versions leave the idea of necessity implicit. For example:

are enduring the same kinds of suffering (NET Bible)
-or-
are going through the same kinds of suffering (Revised English Bible)

If it is possible in your language, try to suggest that such suffering was necessary for other Christians also.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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