Words from the first epistle of Peter
1 – Pain and Sufferings

The first epistle of Peter is the epistle of “Pain in the believer’s life”. The words “Pain, Suffering and their Synonymous are mentioned sixteen times in this epistle, which talks about nine forms of pain in three trilogies.

The first trilogy: Types of pain
Suffering in the flesh, as physical illnesses and pain in the body.   Peter has mentioned this type of pain in chapter one saying, «Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin» (1 Peter 4: 1).

Psychological suffering, it is a suffering without any illness or physical pain in the body, but it is the most difficult type of pain as the bible says about it, «The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?» (Proverbs 18: 14). In this epistle we will find many forms of psychological pains, as reviling, defamation and injustice. «Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed» (1 Peter 3: 16).

There are physical and psychological pains, but there is also spiritual sufferings, which is caused by our presence as believers midst of this wicked world «For that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds» (2 Peter 2: 8). If you are a true believer then you must suffer because of this wicked world.