1 Peter 3:8–18

Do No Evil

⁸Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, ^yzand be compassionate ^aand humble, ^b9not paying back evil for evil ^cor insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, ^dsince you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.

¹⁰For the ^eone who wants to love life

and to see good days

must keep his tongue from evil ^f

and his lips from speaking deceit, ^g

¹¹and he must turn away ^hfrom evil

and do what is good.

He must seek peace ⁱand pursue it,

¹²because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and His ears are open to their request.

But the face of the Lord is against

those who do what is evil. ^j

Undeserved Suffering

¹³And who will harm ^kyou if you are deeply committed to what is good? ^l14But even if you should suffer for righteousness, ^myou are blessed. Do not fear what they fear ⁿ or be disturbed, ^op15but honor ^qthe Messiah ^ras Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason ^sfor the hope that is in you. ^t16However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, ^uvwso that when you are accused, ^xthose who denounce your Christian life ^ywill be put to shame. ¹⁷For it is better to suffer ^zfor doing good, if that should be God’s will, ^athan for doing evil.

¹⁸For Christ also suffered ^bfor sins once for all, ^cd

the righteous for the unrighteous, ^e

that He might bring you ^fto God, ^g

after being put to death in the fleshly realm ^hi

but made alive in the spiritual realm. ^j