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 to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority 14or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves. 17Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

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 4:2in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will.
• Ephesians 6:6Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing God’s will from your heart.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality,
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
• 1 Peter 2:12Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
• Job 5:16So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
• Psalms 107:42The upright see it and rejoice, and all injustice shuts its mouth.
• 1 Timothy 1:13even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief,
• 2 Peter 2:12But these people, like irrational animals — creatures of instinct born to be caught and destroyed — slander what they do not understand, and in their destruction they too will be destroyed.
• Jude 1:10But these people blaspheme anything they do not understand. And what they do understand by instinct — like irrational animals — by these things they are destroyed.
• Deuteronomy 32:6Is this how you repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people? Isn’t he your Father and Creator? Didn’t he make you and sustain you?
• Job 2:10“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.
• Psalms 5:5The boastful cannot stand in your sight; you hate all evildoers.
• Proverbs 9:6Leave inexperience behind, and you will live; pursue the way of understanding.
• Jeremiah 4:22“For my people are fools; they do not know me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good.”
• Matthew 7:26But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish 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