4:3a
For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For here introduces a reason why Peter’s readers should no longer live to fulfill their human desires. Translate this conjunction in a way that is natural to introduce a reason in your language.
you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: A literal translation may imply that the way Peter’s readers spent their time in the past was fine, and now sufficient. However, that is not what Peter meant. He disapproved of how his readers had lived in the past. You may need to make this clear by translating this as:
In the past you spent your time ⌊wrongly,⌋ doing what pagans choose to do
-or-
In the past you wasted too much time doing what nonbelievers enjoy (New Century Version)
in the past: The phrase in the past refers to the time before the readers of this letter became Christians. Here is another way to translate this phrase:
You have already lived long enough (Contemporary English Version)
the same desires as the Gentiles: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the same desires as the Gentiles is more literally “the will/desire of the nations/pagans.” This uses a different word for “desire” than that in 4:2, but it refers to the same thing. Before they became Christians, Peter’s readers did whatever they wanted to do, not what God wanted them to do.
Gentiles: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Gentiles is literally “the nations.” It refers to non-Jewish peoples who did not worship the true God. Some other ways to translate this word include:
people who don’t know God (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
godless people (New Living Translation (2004))
4:3b–d
In these verse parts Peter mentioned some of the sins that were common among the pagans. Not every one of Peter’s readers had done all of these bad things, but these were the sort of things they often used to do. In your translation, use terms that show that Peter was disgusted with all these ways of behaving.
4:3b
debauchery: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as debauchery refers to shameful sexual behavior in which the person shows no self control. Other ways to translate this include:
sexual sins (New Century Version)
-or-
you were promiscuous (God’s Word)
-or-
you were immoral (Contemporary English Version)
lust: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lust refers to strong, impure sexual desires. Other translation suggestions include:
evil desires (New Century Version)
-or-
giving way to your passions (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
you…followed your evil desires (Contemporary English Version)
drunkenness: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as drunkenness refers to habitually drinking too much wine or other alcoholic drinks. Another way to translate this is:
always getting drunk
General Comment on 4:3b
In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of the first two items in this list. For example:
You followed your lusts and committed sexual sins. You lived in drunkenness….
4:3c
orgies, carousing: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as orgies and carousing are similar in meaning and refer to feasts where people eat and drink too much and behave without any control. Here is another way to translate these words:
having wild parties and drunken orgies (New Jerusalem Bible)
Some translations combine the two ideas into one noun phrase, For example:
wild and drunken parties (New Century Version)
4:3d
detestable idolatry: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as detestable is literally “against the law.” Here it describes behavior that God had forbidden and could therefore be considered shocking and disgusting. If your language has a word meaning “outside the boundaries of law,” you might be able to use it here. Try to use a word that implies something is to be rejected as repulsive. Other English translation models include:
the forbidden worship of idols (Revised English Bible)
-or-
the disgusting worship of idols (Good News Translation)
-or-
doing shameful things in your worship of idols
General Comment on 4:3b–d
In the Greek, as in the Berean Standard Bible, the different evil behaviors are all listed as abstract nouns. In some languages it may be necessary to use verb phrases. For example:
You sinned sexually and followed your evil passions. You got drunk and went to wild drinking parties. You stepped over God’s boundaries by worshiping idols.
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