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1 Peter 3:8-18
New International Version
1 Peter 3:8-18
New International Version
Suffering for Doing Good
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded,(A) be sympathetic, love one another,(B) be compassionate and humble.(C) 9 Do not repay evil with evil(D) or insult with insult.(E) On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,(F) because to this(G) you were called(H) so that you may inherit a blessing.(I) 10 For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”[a](J)
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?(K) 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.(L) “Do not fear their threats[b]; do not be frightened.”[c](M) 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer(N) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope(O) that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience,(P) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.(Q) 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will,(R) to suffer for doing good(S) than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once(T) for sins,(U) the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.(V) He was put to death in the body(W) but made alive in the Spirit.(X)
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:12-16
- 1 Peter 3:14 Or fear what they fear
- 1 Peter 3:14 Isaiah 8:12
1 Peter 3:8-18
English Standard Version
1 Peter 3:8-18
English Standard Version
Suffering for Righteousness' Sake
8 Finally, all of you, (A)have unity of mind, sympathy, (B)brotherly love, (C)a tender heart, and (D)a humble mind. 9 (E)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, (F)bless, for (G)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For
(H)“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13 Now (I)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 (J)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. (K)Have no fear of them, (L)nor be troubled, 15 but (M)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, (N)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and (O)respect, 16 (P)having a good conscience, so that, (Q)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For (R)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also (S)suffered[a] (T)once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, (U)that he might bring us to God, being put to death (V)in the flesh but made alive (W)in the spirit,
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Peter 3:18 Some manuscripts died
1 Peter 3:8-18
Christian Standard Bible
1 Peter 3:8-18
Christian Standard Bible
Do No Evil
8 Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another,(A) and be compassionate(B) and humble,[a] 9 not paying back evil for evil(C) or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,(D) since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.
10 For the(E) one who wants to love life
and to see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil(F)
and his lips from speaking deceit,(G)
11 and let him turn away(H) from evil
and do what is good.
Let him seek peace(I) and pursue it,
12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against
those who do what is evil.(J)
Undeserved Suffering
13 Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness,(K) you are blessed. Do not fear them[b](L) or be intimidated,[c](M) 15 but in your hearts regard[d] Christ[e] the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.(N) 16 Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,(O) so that when you are accused,[f] those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer(P) for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered(Q) for sins once for all,(R) the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.(S) He was put to death in the flesh[g](T) but made alive by the Spirit,[h]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 3:8 Other mss read courteous
- 3:14 Or Do not fear what they fear
- 3:14 Is 8:12
- 3:15 Or sanctify, or set apart
- 3:15 Other mss read set God
- 3:16 Other mss read when they speak against you as evildoers
- 3:18 Or by the flesh, or in the fleshly realm
- 3:18 Or in the spirit, or in the Spirit, or in the spiritual realm
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.