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1 Peter 3:12-17
New King James Version
1 Peter 3:12-17
New King James Version
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
(A)And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Suffering for Right and Wrong
13 (B)And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 (C)But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. (D)“And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But [a]sanctify [b]the Lord God in your hearts, and always (E)be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the (F)hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 (G)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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Peter 3:15 set apart
- 1 Peter 3:15 NU Christ as Lord
1 Peter 3:12-17
New International Version
1 Peter 3:12-17
New International Version
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](A)
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?(B) 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.(C) “Do not fear their threats[b]; do not be frightened.”[c](D) 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer(E) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope(F) that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience,(G) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.(H) 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will,(I) to suffer for doing good(J) than for doing evil.
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 3:12-17
King James Version
1 Peter 3:12-17
King James Version
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.