4:12 Dear friends, do not be astonished 4 that a trial by fire is occurring among you, 5 as though something strange were happening to you.
1 tn Grk “in/by which,” referring to the change of behavior described in v. 3. The unbelievers are astonished by the readers’ moral transformation. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
2 tn Or “are surprised, are taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:12.
3 tn Grk “blaspheming,” giving the result of their astonishment. Here the target of their “blasphemy/vilification” is not God but the Christian.
4 tn Or “do not be surprised, taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:4.
5 tn Grk “at the burning among you, occurring to you for testing.”