1 Peter 3:12

1 Peter 3:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Context of 1 Peter 3:12

10For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. 11He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13Who can harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”

1 Peter 3:12 word by word

ὅτι ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους, καὶ ὦτα αὐτοῦ εἰς δέησιν αὐτῶν, πρόσωπον δὲ κυρίου ἐπὶ ποιοῦντας κακά.¶Read the interlinear

• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• Hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• earsοὖςous · earG3775
• are inclined toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• prayerδέησιςdeēsis · petitionG1162
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• faceπρόσωπονprosōpon · faceG4383
• those who doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556

Cross-references for 1 Peter 3:12

• Deuteronomy 11:12It is a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning to the end of the year.
• 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”
• Psalms 11:4The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.
• Proverbs 15:3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
• Zechariah 4:10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
• 2 Chronicles 7:15Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
• Psalms 65:2O You who listen to prayer, all people will come to You.
• Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
• John 9:31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
• James 5:16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
• Leviticus 17:10If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people.
• Leviticus 20:3And I will set My face against that man and cut him off from his people, because by giving his offspring to Molech, he has defiled My sanctuary and profaned My holy name.
• Leviticus 26:17And I will set My face against you, so that you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one pursues you.
• Psalms 80:16Your vine has been cut down and burned; they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
• Jeremiah 21:10For I have set My face against this city to bring disaster and not good, declares the LORD. It will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, who will destroy it with fire.’
• Ezekiel 15:7And I will set My face against them. Though they may have escaped the fire, yet another fire will consume them. And when I set My face against them, you will know that I am the LORD.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 3:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous - That is, He is continually under God's notice and his care; God continually watches for him and watches over him, and he is under his constant protection. And his ears are open unto their prayers - The original is very emphatic: The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears to their prayers. The righteous man ever attracts the Divine notice, and wherever he is, there is the ear of God; for, as…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous - That is, he is their Protector. His eyes are indeed on all people, but the language here is that which describes continual guardianship and care. And his ears are open unto their prayers - He hears their prayers. As he is a hearer of prayer, they are at liberty to go to him at all times, and to pour out their desires before him. This passage is taken from Psalm 34:15, and it is designed to show the reason…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 Though Christians cannot always be exactly of the same mind, yet they should have compassion one of another, and love as brethren. If any man desires to live comfortably on earth, or to possess eternal life in heaven, he must bridle his tongue from wicked, abusive, or deceitful words. He must forsake and keep far from evil actions, do all the good he can, and seek peace with all men. For God, all-wise and every where present, watches over the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-12Peter emphasizes the connection between a person’s conduct and the blessing that God gives by quoting Psalm 34:12–16. This psalm was important in early Christian teaching (see also 1 Peter 2:3; Hebrews 12:14). The passage teaches believers to control their speech, resist evil, and do good. It also highlights God’s promise to bless those who obey him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Ground of the promised present and eternal life of blessedness to the meek (1Pe 3:10). The Lord's eyes are ever over them for good. ears ... unto their prayers--(1Jo 5:14, 15). face ... against--The eyes imply favorable regard; the face of the Lord upon (not as English Version, "against") them that do evil, implies that He narrowly observes them, so as not to let them really and lastingly hurt His people (compare 1Pe 3:13).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 3:12

• Anthropomorphisms
• Commandments
• Eye
• Quotations and Allusions
• Reward
• Righteous
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Adorning
• Chaste
• Contrariwise
• Ornament
• Pitiful
• Quiet
• Railing
• Reason
• Spirit
• Terror

Commentaries on 1 Peter 3

• 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