1 Petrus 3:17

3:17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, ¹  than for doing evil.

1 Petrus 3:12

3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are ²  upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. ³ 

1 Petrus 3:16

3:16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, ⁴  keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. ⁵ 

1 Petrus 3:20

3:20 after they were disobedient long ago ⁶  when God patiently waited ⁷  in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark ⁸  a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water.

1 Petrus 3:13

3:13 For ⁹  who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good?

1 Petrus 2:22

2:22 He ¹⁰  committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. ¹¹ 

1 Petrus 2:14

2:14 or to governors as those he commissions ¹²  to punish wrongdoers and praise ¹³  those who do good.

1 Petrus 2:20

2:20 For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God. ¹⁴ 

1 Petrus 2:12

2:12 and maintain good conduct ¹⁵  among the non-Christians, ¹⁶  so that though ¹⁷  they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. ¹⁸ 

1 Petrus 2:15

2:15 For God wants you ¹⁹  to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.

1 Petrus 3:11

3:11 And he must turn away from evil and do good;

he must seek peace and pursue it.

1 Petrus 2:8

2:8 and a stumbling-stone ²⁰  and a rock to trip over. ²¹  They stumble ²²  because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. ²³ 

1 Petrus 3:6

3:6 like Sarah who obeyed ²⁴  Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children ²⁵  when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so. ²⁶ 

1 Petrus 4:19

4:19 So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good. ²⁷ 

1 Petrus 1:17

1:17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here ²⁸  in reverence.

1 Petrus 3:14

3:14 But in fact, if you happen to suffer ²⁹  for doing what is right, ³⁰  you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them ³¹  or be shaken. ³² 

1 Petrus 4:1

4:1 So, since Christ suffered ³³  in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin, ³⁴ 

1 Petrus 4:15

4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. ³⁵ 

1 Petrus 2:9

2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues ³⁶  of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Petrus 1:15

1:15 but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct,

1 Petrus 2:16

2:16 Live ³⁷  as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves. ³⁸ 

1 Petrus 1:6

1:6 This brings you great joy, ³⁹  although you may have to suffer ⁴⁰  for a short time in various trials.

1 Petrus 2:19

2:19 For this finds God’s favor, ⁴¹  if because of conscience toward God ⁴²  someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly.

1 Petrus 5:3

5:3 And do not lord it over ⁴³  those entrusted to you, ⁴⁴  but be examples to the flock.

1 Petrus 3:1

Wives and Husbands

3:1 In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, ⁴⁵  even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live, ⁴⁶ 

1 Petrus 5:10

5:10 And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ ⁴⁷  will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ⁴⁸ 

1 Petrus 1:14

1:14 Like obedient children, do not comply with ⁴⁹  the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, ⁵⁰ 

1 Petrus 1:22

1:22 You have purified ⁵¹  your souls by obeying the truth ⁵²  in order to show sincere mutual love. ⁵³  So ⁵⁴  love one another earnestly from a pure heart. ⁵⁵ 

1 Petrus 2:7

2:7 So you who believe see ⁵⁶  his value, ⁵⁷  but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the ⁵⁸  cornerstone, ⁵⁹ 

1 Petrus 3:9

3:9 Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless ⁶⁰  others ⁶¹  because you were called to inherit a blessing.

1 Petrus 4:4

4:4 So ⁶²  they are astonished ⁶³  when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you. ⁶⁴ 

1 Petrus 4:6

4:6 Now it was for this very purpose ⁶⁵  that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, ⁶⁶  so that though ⁶⁷  they were judged in the flesh ⁶⁸  by human standards ⁶⁹  they may live spiritually ⁷⁰  by God’s standards. ⁷¹ 

1 Petrus 1:2-3

1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling ⁷²  with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure! ⁷³ 

New Birth to Joy and Holiness

1:3 Blessed be ⁷⁴  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Petrus 2:5

2:5 you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer ⁷⁵  spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Petrus 4:3

4:3 For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians ⁷⁶  desire. ⁷⁷  You lived then ⁷⁸  in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts, ⁷⁹  and wanton idolatries. ⁸⁰ 

[3:17]  ¹ tn Grk “if the will of God should will it.” As in 3:14 the Greek construction here implies that suffering for doing good was not what God normally willed, even though it could happen, and in fact may have happened to some of the readers (cf. 4:4, 12-19).

[3:12]  ² tn The verbs are implied but not expressed in this verse: “the Lord’s eyes [ ] on the righteous and his ears [ ] to their prayer, but his face [ ] against those who do evil.”

[3:12]  ³ sn Verses 10-12 are a quotation from Ps 34:12-16.

[3:16]  ⁴ tn Grk “but with courtesy and respect,” continuing the command of v. 15. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[3:16]  ⁵ tn Grk “when you are spoken against.”

[3:20]  ⁶ tn This reflects a Greek participle, literally “having been disobedient formerly,” that refers to the “spirits” in v. 19. Many translations take this as adjectival describing the spirits (“who had once been disobedient”; cf. NASB, NIV, NKJV, NLT, NRSV, TEV), but the grammatical construction strongly favors an adverbial interpretation describing the time of the preaching, as reflected above.

[3:20]  ⁷ tn Grk “the patience of God waited.”

[3:20]  ⁸ tn Grk “in which,” referring to the ark; the referent (the ark) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[3:13]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “For” to indicate that what follows gives an explanation.

[2:22]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “who,” referring to Christ and applying the quotations from Isa 53 to him. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[2:22]  ¹¹ sn A quotation from Isa 53:9.

[2:14]  ¹² tn Grk “those sent by him.”

[2:14]  ¹³ tn Grk “for the punishment…and the praise.”

[2:20]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “For this [is] favor/grace with God,” used as a metonymy as in vs. 19 of that which pleases him, which he looks on with favor (cf. BDAG 1079 s.v. χάρις 2).

[2:12]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “keeping your conduct good.”

[2:12]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “the Gentiles,” used here of those who are not God’s people.

[2:12]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “in order that in what they malign you.”

[2:12]  ¹⁸ tn Or “when he visits.” Grk “in the day of visitation,” denoting a time when God intervenes directly in human affairs, either for blessing (Luke 1:68, 78; 7:16; 19:44) or for judgment (Isa 10:3; Jer 6:15). This phrase may be a quotation from Isa 10:3, in which case judgment is in view here. But blessing seems to be the point, since part of the motive for good behavior is winning the non-Christian over to the faith (as in 3:1; also apparently in 3:15; cf. Matt 5:16).

[2:15]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “because thus it is God’s will.”

[2:8]  ²⁰ tn Grk “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” The latter phrase uses the term σκάνδαλον (skandalon), denoting an obstacle to faith, something that arouses anger and rejection.

[2:8]  ²¹ sn A quotation from Isa 8:14.

[2:8]  ²² tn Grk “who stumble,” referring to “those who do not believe” in vs. 7. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[2:8]  ²³ tn Grk “to which they were also destined.”

[3:6]  ²⁴ tn Grk “as Sarah obeyed.”

[3:6]  ²⁵ tn Grk “whose children you become.”

[3:6]  ²⁶ tn Grk “doing good and not fearing any intimidation.”

[4:19]  ²⁷ tn Grk “in doing good.”

[1:17]  ²⁸ tn Grk “the time of your sojourn,” picturing the Christian’s life in this world as a temporary stay in a foreign country (cf. 1:1).

[3:14]  ²⁹ sn The Greek construction here implies that such suffering was not the norm, even though it could happen, and in fact may well have happened to some of the readers (cf. 4:4, 12-19).

[3:14]  ³⁰ tn Grk “because of righteousness.”

[3:14]  ³¹ tn Grk “do not fear their fear,” referring to those who cause their suffering. The phrase “their fear” may mean “what they fear” (subjective genitive), but in a situation of persecution it more likely means “fear of them” (objective genitive).

[3:14]  ³² sn A quotation from Isa 8:12.

[4:1]  ³³ tc Most mss (א² A P Ï) add ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν (Juper Jhmwn, “for us”); others (א* 69 1505 pc) add ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν (Juper Jumwn, “for you”), the first hand of א also has ἀποθανόντος (apoqanonto", “since he died”) instead of παθόντος (paqonto", “since he suffered”). But the reading without ὑπὲρ ἡ/ὑμῶν best explains the rise of the other readings, for not only is there confusion as to which pronoun belongs here, but the longer readings, being clarifications, are evidently motivated readings. The shortest reading is found in important and early Alexandrian and Western witnesses (Ì⁷² B C Ψ 0285 323 1739) and is strongly preferred.

[4:1]  ³⁴ sn Has finished with sin. The last sentence in v. 1 may refer to Christ as the one who suffered in the flesh (cf. 2:21, 23; 3:18; 4:1a) and the latter part would then mean, “he has finished dealing with sin.” But it is more likely that it refers to the Christian who suffers unjustly (cf. 2:19-20; 3:14, 17). This shows that he has made a break with sin as vs. 2 describes.

[4:15]  ³⁵ tn The meaning of the Greek word used here is uncertain. It may mean “spy, informer,” “revolutionary,” or “defrauder, embezzler.” But the most likely meaning is “busybody, one who meddles in the affairs of others, troublesome meddler.” The translation given in the text is intended to suggest this general idea.

[2:9]  ³⁶ sn This verse contains various allusions and quotations from Exod 19:5-6; 23:22 (LXX); Isa 43:20-21; and Mal 3:17.

[2:16]  ³⁷ tn There is no main verb in this verse, but it continues the sense of command from v. 13, “be subject…, as free people…not using…but as slaves of God.”

[2:16]  ³⁸ tn Traditionally, “servants” or “bondservants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[2:16]  sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”

[1:6]  ³⁹ tn Grk “in which you exult.”

[1:6]  ⁴⁰ tc ‡ The oldest and best witnesses lack the verb (א* B, along with 1505 pc), but most mss (Ì⁷² א² A C P Ψ 048 33 1739 Ï) have ἐστίν here (estin, “[if] it is [necessary]”). The verb looks to be an explanatory gloss. But if no verb is present, this opens up the time frame in the author’s mind even more, since the conditional particle for both the first class condition and the fourth class condition is εἰ (ei). That may well be what was on the author’s mind, as evidenced by some of his other allusions to suffering in this little letter (3:14, 17). NA²⁷ has the verb in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[1:6]  tn Grk “Though now, for a little while if necessary, you may have to suffer.”

[2:19]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “For this [is] favor/grace,” used as a metonymy of that which pleases him, which he looks on with favor (cf. BDAG 1079 s.v. χάρις 2). Cf. 1 Pet 2:20.

[2:19]  ⁴² tc The expression “consciousness/conscience of God” (συνείδησιν θεοῦ; suneidhsin qeou) is unusual, occurring only here in the NT. Because θεοῦ was liable to misinterpretation, several witnesses altered the text, either replacing it with ἀγαθήν (agaqhn; C Ψ 323 614 630 945 1241 1505 1739 al sy) or expanding the expression by adding ἀγαθήν before θεοῦ (Ì⁷² [A* 33] 81). Replacing θεοῦ with ἀγαθήν conforms to other NT phrases, notably in this same letter (Acts 23:1; 1 Tim 1:5, 19; 1 Pet 3:16, 21), suggesting that such a reading is motivated. The reading θεοῦ, however, has superior support (א A^c B P 049 Ï lat co), and best explains the rise of the other readings.

[2:19]  tn Grk “conscious(ness) of God,” an awareness of God and allegiance to him.

[5:3]  ⁴³ tn Grk “not as lording it over…but being examples.” The participles continue the command of v. 2 by describing how the shepherding should be carried out.

[5:3]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “the ones allotted,” referring to those God has given over to their care.

[3:1]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “that…they may be won over,” showing the purpose of “being subject” (vs. 1b). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[3:1]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “by the wives’ behavior.”

[5:10]  ⁴⁷ tc ‡ A few important mss (א B 614 630 1505 pc) lack “Jesus” after “Christ,” while the majority include the name (Ì⁷² A P Ψ 33 1739 Ï latt). However, the inclusion is a natural and predictable expansion on the text. NA²⁷ includes ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity. .

[5:10]  ⁴⁸ tn The pronoun “you” is not used explicitly but is clearly implied by the Greek.

[1:14]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “do not be conformed to”; Grk “not being conformed to.”

[1:14]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “the former lusts in your ignorance.”

[1:22]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “having purified,” as the preparation for the love described in the second half of the verse.

[1:22]  ⁵² tc Most later mss (P Ï) have διὰ πνεύματος (dia pneumato", “through the spirit”) after ἀληθείας (ajlhqeia", “truth”), while the words are lacking in a broad spectrum of early and important witnesses (Ì⁷² א A B C Ψ 33 81 323 945 1241 1739 al vg sy co). On external grounds, the shorter reading cannot be easily explained if it were not original. The longer reading is clearly secondary, added to show more strongly God’s part in man’s obedience to the truth. But the addition ignores the force that the author gives to “purified” and ruins the balance between v. 22 and v. 23 (for in v. 23 the emphasis is on God’s part; here, on man’s part).

[1:22]  ⁵³ tn Grk “for sincere brotherly love.”

[1:22]  ⁵⁴ tn Verses 22-23 are a single sentence in the Greek text. To improve clarity (and because contemporary English tends to use shorter sentences) these verses have been divided into three sentences in the translation. In addition, “So” has been supplied at the beginning of the second English sentence (v. 22b) to indicate the relationship with the preceding statement.

[1:22]  ⁵⁵ tc A few mss (A B 1852 pc) lack καθαρᾶς (kaqaras, “pure”) and read simply καρδίας (kardias, “from the heart”), but there is excellent ms support (Ì⁷² א* C P Ψ 33 1739 Ï co) for the word. The omission may have been accidental. In the uncial script (kaqaras kardias) an accidental omission could have happened via homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. καθαρᾶς should be considered original.

[2:7]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “to you who believe is the value,” referring to their perception of the stone in contrast to those who reject (vv. 7b-8). But the expression may also be translated as “to you who believe is this honor,” referring to the lack of shame cited in v. 6b.

[2:7]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “the value” or “the honor,” but the former is preferred since it comes from the same root as “priceless” in vv. 4, 6, and it is in contrast to the negative estimate of the stone by those who reject (vv. 7b-8).

[2:7]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “the head of the corner.”

[2:7]  ⁵⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 118:22 (cf. Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11).

[3:9]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “not returning…but blessing,” continuing the sense of command from the preceding.

[3:9]  ⁶¹ tn The direct object “others” is omitted but implied in Greek, and must be supplied to suit English style.

[4:4]  ⁶² tn Grk “in/by which,” referring to the change of behavior described in v. 3. The unbelievers are astonished by the readers’ moral transformation. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[4:4]  ⁶³ tn Or “are surprised, are taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:12.

[4:4]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “blaspheming,” giving the result of their astonishment. Here the target of their “blasphemy/vilification” is not God but the Christian.

[4:6]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “since for this purpose the gospel was preached even to the dead,” referring to the purpose described in the clause to follow in v. 6b.

[4:6]  ⁶⁶ sn In context the phrase those who are dead refers to those now dead who had accepted the gospel while they were still living and had suffered persecution for their faith. Though they “suffered judgment” in this earthly life (i.e., they died, in the midst of physical abuse from the ungodly), they will enjoy life from God in the spiritual, heavenly realm because of the gospel (v. 6b). It clearly does not assume a second chance for conversion offered to unbelievers who had died; why would Peter urge people to suffer in this life for the sake of the gospel if he believed that mercy would be extended to all the dead in the hereafter (cf. 2:7-8; 4:1-5, 12-19)?

[4:6]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “so that they may be judged…but may live.” Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.

[4:6]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “in their earthly lives,” since “flesh” here denotes the physical, earthly life. The phrase “in the flesh” is retained to preserve the links with 3:18 and 4:1 which use the same wording.

[4:6]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “according to men.”

[4:6]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “in spirit,” referring to the heavenly, eternal realm of existence (cf. 3:18).

[4:6]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “according to God.”

[1:2]  ⁷² sn For obedience and for sprinkling indicates the purpose of their choice or election by God.

[1:2]  ⁷³ tn Grk “be multiplied to you.”

[1:3]  ⁷⁴ tn There is no verb in the Greek text; either the optative (“be”) or the indicative (“is”) can be supplied. The meaning of the term εὐλογητός (euloghtos) and the author’s intention at this point in the epistle must both come into play to determine which is the preferred nuance. εὐλογητός as an adjective can mean either that one is praised or that one is blessed, that is, in a place of favor and benefit. Two factors of the author’s style come into play. At this point the author is describing the reality of believers’ salvation and will soon explain believers’ necessary response; this is in emulation of Pauline style which generally follows the same logical order (although the author here discusses the reality in a much more compressed fashion). On the other hand, when imitating the Pauline greeting, which is normally verbless, the author inserts the optative (see v. 2 above). When considered as a whole, although a decision is difficult, the fact that the author in the immediate context has used the optative when imitating a Pauline stylized statement would argue for the optative here. The translation uses the term “blessed” in the sense “worthy of praise” as this is in keeping with the traditional translation of berakah psalms. Cf. also 2 Cor 1:3; Eph 1:3.

[2:5]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “unto a holy priesthood to offer.”

[4:3]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “the Gentiles,” used here of those who are not God’s people.

[4:3]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “to accomplish the desire of the Gentiles.”

[4:3]  ⁷⁸ tn Grk “having gone along,” referring to the readers’ behavior in time past.

[4:3]  ⁷⁹ tn According to BDAG 857 s.v. πότος the term refers to a social gathering at which wine is served, hence “drinking parties” (cf. TEV, NASB). However, the collocation with the other terms in v. 4 suggests something less sophisticated and more along the lines of wild and frenzied drinking bouts.

[4:3]  ⁸⁰ tn The Greek words here all occur in the plural to describe their common practice in the past.