1 Peter · Chapter 4 · Love
1 Peter 4:8 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
Love is the centre of Scripture's story. Read this one slowly.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins."
KJV · King James Version
"And1161 above4253 all things3956 have2192 fervent1618 charity26 among1519 yourselves1438: for3754 charity26 shall cover2572 the multitude4128 of sins266. shall: or, will"
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses have, fervent, charity, shall, while the WEB renders these as earnest, your, love, covers. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
1 Peter 4:8 in 1 Peter 4
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is 1 Peter 4:8 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of 1 Peter 4. Read the full chapter →
- v.6 For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.
- v.7 But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.
- v.8 And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.
- v.9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
- v.10 As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.
Book background
About the Book of 1 Peter
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- General epistle
- Author
- Peter the apostle
- Date written
- c. 62–64 AD
- Audience
- Christians scattered across Asia Minor, facing rising persecution
- Chapters
- 5
1 Peter writes to suffering exiles — believers facing social abuse and rising state pressure — and grounds them in their identity as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (2:9). It urges holiness, gentle witness, and unshakable hope because of Christ's resurrection and coming inheritance.
Setting: Written from "Babylon" (likely a code for Rome).
Key themes: suffering · hope · holiness · identity · submission
Memorisation aid
How to memorise 1 Peter 4:8
1 Peter 4:8 contains 18 words in 2 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves
AAATBE
- 2
for love covers a multitude of sins.
FLCAMO
Frequently asked
FAQ about 1 Peter 4:8
What does 1 Peter 4:8 say?
1 Peter 4:8 reads: "And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins." — from the New Testament, 1 Peter (General epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is 1 Peter 4:8 in?
1 Peter 4:8 is in the book of 1 Peter, traditionally attributed to Peter the apostle and written around c. 62–64 AD. 1 Peter is general epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to Christians scattered across Asia Minor, facing rising persecution. Best known for "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation".
What is 1 Peter 4:8 about?
1 Peter 4:8 is primarily a Bible verse about Love, with related themes including Forgiveness. Within 1 Peter, 1 Peter writes to suffering exiles — believers facing social abuse and rising state pressure — and grounds them in their identity as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (2:9). Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between 1 Peter 4:8 in WEB and KJV?
1 Peter 4:8 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "And1161 above4253 all things3956 have2192 fervent1618 charity26 among1519 yourselves1438: for3754 charity26 shall cover2572 the multitude4128 of sins266. shall: or, will". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is 1 Peter 4:8?
1 Peter 4:8 is 18 words in the WEB translation (99 characters), broken into 2 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 5 seconds.
How can I memorise 1 Peter 4:8?
To memorise 1 Peter 4:8, split it into its 2 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does 1 Peter 4:8 matter in 1 Peter?
1 Peter writes to suffering exiles — believers facing social abuse and rising state pressure — and grounds them in their identity as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (2:9). It urges holiness, gentle witness, and unshakable hope because of Christ's resurrection and coming inheritance. 1 Peter 4:8 sits within this larger story — 1 Peter as a whole emphasises suffering, hope, holiness.
How can I apply 1 Peter 4:8 today?
Many readers use 1 Peter 4:8 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download 1 Peter 4:8 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
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Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
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-
1 John 4:8
“He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.”
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1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not pr…”
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Matthew 22:39
“A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
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John 13:34
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”
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1 Corinthians 13:13
“But now faith, hope, and love remain — these three. The greatest of these is love.”
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Romans 5:8
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
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Ephesians 4:32
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
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Deuteronomy 6:5
“You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”
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1 Peter 5:7
“Casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.”
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1 Peter 5:10
“But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen,…”
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1 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you…”
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1 Peter 2:24
“who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.”
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