1 Peter 3:13-22

New King James Version

Suffering for Right and Wrong

^13 (A)And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? ^14 (B)But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. ^(C)“And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” ¹⁵ But ^[a]sanctify ^[b]the Lord God in your hearts, and always ^(D)be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the ^(E)hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; ^16 (F)having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Christ’s Suffering and Ours

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring ^[c]us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who formerly were disobedient, ^[d]when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. ^21 (G)There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism ^(H)(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, ^(I)but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and ^(J)is at the right hand of God, ^(K)angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.