1. 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What does the instruction to be watchful mean?

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

The (second) imperative demands alertness of mind and so attentiveness to what is happening around you. It contrasts with tiredness and sleepiness (Matthew 26:40–41). The context of these two commands is the fiery trial; the reason for the two imperatives is the presence of the devil.