1 Peter 2:15

1 Peter 2:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
• New International Version (NIV)For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—

Context of 1 Peter 2:15

13Submit yourselves to [the authority of] every human institution for the sake of the Lord [to honor His name], whether it is to a king as one in a position of power, 14or to governors as sent by him to bring punishment to those who do wrong, and to praise and encourage those who do right. For it is the will of God that by doing right you may silence (muzzle, gag) the [culpable] ignorance and irresponsible criticisms of foolish people. 16Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover or pretext for evil, but [use it and live] as bond-servants of God. 17Show respect for all people [treat them honorably], love the brotherhood [of believers], fear God, honor the king.

1 Peter 2:15 word by word

ὅτι οὕτως ἐστὶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ ἀγαθοποιοῦντας φιμοῦν τὴν τῶν ἀφρόνων ἀνθρώπων ἀγνωσίαν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• that with well doingἀγαθοποιέωagathopoieō · to do goodG15
• ye may put to silenceφιμόωphimoō · to muzzleG5392
• the ignoranceἀγνωσίαagnōsia · ignoranceG56
• of foolishἄφρωνaphrōn · foolishG878
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444

Cross-references for 1 Peter 2:15

• 1 Peter 4:2so that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living for human appetites and desires, but [lives] for the will and purpose of God.
• Ephesians 6:6not in the way of eye-service [working only when someone is watching you and only] to please men, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart;
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3For this is the will of God, that you be sanctified [separated and set apart from sin]: that you abstain and back away from sexual immorality;
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
• 1 Peter 2:12Keep your behavior excellent among the [unsaved] Gentiles [conduct yourself honorably, with graciousness and integrity], so that for whatever reason they may slander you as evildoers, yet by observing your good deeds they may [instead come to] glorify God in the day of visitation [when He looks upon them with mercy].
• Job 5:16So the helpless have hope, And injustice shuts its mouth.
• Psalms 107:42The upright see it and rejoice; But all unrighteousness shuts its mouth.
• 1 Timothy 1:13even though I was formerly a blasphemer [of our Lord] and a persecutor [of His church] and a shameful and outrageous and violent aggressor [toward believers]. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief.
• 2 Peter 2:12But these [false teachers], like unreasoning animals, [mere] creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed, reviling things they do not understand, will also perish in their own corruption [in their destroying they will be destroyed],
• Jude 1:10But these men sneer at anything which they do not understand; and whatever they do know by [mere] instinct, like unreasoning and irrational beasts—by these things they are destroyed.
• Deuteronomy 32:6Do you thus repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is not He your Father who has acquired you [as His own]? He has made you and established you [as a nation].
• Job 2:10But he said to her, “You speak as one of the [spiritually] foolish women speaks [ignorant and oblivious to God’s will]. Shall we indeed accept [only] good from God and not [also] accept adversity and disaster?” In [spite of] all this Job did not sin with [words from] his lips.
• Psalms 5:5The boastful and the arrogant will not stand in Your sight; You hate all who do evil.
• Proverbs 9:6Leave [behind] your foolishness [and the foolish] and live, And walk in the way of insight and understanding.”
• Jeremiah 4:22“For My people are stupid and foolish,” [says the Lord to Jeremiah]; “They do not know Me; They are foolish children And have no understanding. They are shrewd [enough] to do evil, But they do not know [how] to do good.”
• Matthew 7:26And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish (stupid) man who built his house on the sand.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 2:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15For so is the will of God - God, as their supreme governor, shows them that it is his will that they should act uprightly and obediently at all times, and thus confound the ignorance of foolish men, who were ready enough to assert that their religion made them bad subjects. The word , which we translate put to silence, signifies to muzzle, i.e., stop their mouths, leave them nothing to say; let them assert, but ever be unable to bring proof to support it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15For so is the will of God - That is, it is in accordance with the divine will that in this way you should put them to silence. That with well doing - By a life of uprightness and benevolence. Ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men - See the notes at Titus 2:8. The reference here is to men who brought charges against Christians, by accusing them of being inimical to the government, or insubordinate, or guilty of crimes. Such charges, it is well…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 A Christian conversation must be honest; which it cannot be, if there is not a just and careful discharge of all relative duties: the apostle here treats of these distinctly. Regard to those duties is the will of God, consequently, the Christian's duty, and the way to silence the base slanders of ignorant and foolish men. Christians must endeavour, in all relations, to behave aright, that they do not make their liberty a cloak or covering for…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-25This section focuses on the key instruction to submit to all human authority. Peter applies this instruction to several relationships: Christians should accept the authority of those in government (2:13–17). Christian slaves should accept the authority of their masters (2:18–25). Christian wives should accept the authority of their husbands (3:1–6). Peter appears to follow an early Christian use of the traditional household code. This code gave a series…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Ground of his directing them to submit themselves (1Pe 2:13). put to silence--literally, "to muzzle," "to stop the mouth." ignorance--spiritual not having "the knowledge of God," and therefore ignorant of the children of God, and misconstruing their acts; influenced by mere appearances, and ever ready to open their mouths, rather than their eyes and ears. Their ignorance should move the believer's pity, not his anger. They judge of things which they…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 2:15

• Citizens
• Commandments
• Example
• Government
• Self-Denial

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• will of God
• Bishop
• Chosen
• Cloke
• Disallow
• Fleshly
• Offer
• Sincere

Commentaries on 1 Peter 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings