A.T. Robertson Commentary 1 Peter 5:8

"Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour," — 1 Peter 5:8 (ASV)

Be watchful (γρηγορησατε). First aorist active imperative of γρηγορεω, late present imperative from perfect εγρηγορα (to be awake) from εγειρω (to arouse), as in Mt 24:42. For νηψατε see 1:13; 4:7.

Your adversary (ο αντιδικος υμων). Old word for opponent in a lawsuit (Matthew 5:25).

The devil (διαβολος). Slanderer. See on Mt 4:1.

As a roaring lion (ως ωρυομενος λεων). But Jesus is also pictured as the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). But Satan

roars at the saints. Present middle participle ωρυομα, old verb, here only in N.T., to howl like a wolf, dog, or lion, of men to sing loud (Pindar). See Ps 22:13.

Whom he may devour (καταπιειν). Second aorist active infinitive of καταπινω, to drink down. B does not have τινα, Aleph has τινα (somebody), "to devour some one," while A has interrogative τινα, "whom he may devour" (very rare idiom). But the devil's purpose is the ruin of men. He is a "peripatetic" (περιπατε) like the peripatetic philosophers who walked as they talked. Satan wants all of us and sifts us all (Luke 22:31).