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

10The Bible says this: ‘Do you want to enjoy your life? Do you want to be happy? Then you must be careful not to say evil things. Do not tell any lies. 11Stop doing evil things. Instead, do things that are good. Try to be friends with people. Help people to live in peace with each other. Remember that the Lord God sees what everyone does. He takes care of people who do what is right. When they pray, he listens to them. But the Lord God turns against people who do evil things.’ 13If you always try to do good things, then nobody should hurt you. 14But somebody might give you trouble, even when you do what is right. If that happens, God will bless you. So do not be afraid of what people may do to you. Do not worry about it.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• the eyesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• overἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• earsοὖςous · earG3775
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• prayersδέησιςdeēsis · petitionG1162
• butδέde · thenG1161
• the faceπρόσωπονprosōpon · faceG4383
• them that doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556

Cross-references for 1 Peter 3:12

• Deuteronomy 11:12The Lord your God takes care of the land there. He watches over it every day, through the whole year.
• 2 Chronicles 16:9The Lord carefully watches over the whole earth. If people serve him faithfully, he makes them strong. But you have done a foolish thing. As a result, you will now always be fighting wars.’
• Psalms 11:4The Lord is in his holy temple. He rules from his throne in heaven. He carefully watches what people are doing. He knows about each person.
• Proverbs 15:3The Lord sees what happens everywhere. He is watching what evil people do, and good people too.
• Zechariah 4:10Everyone should know that the day of small things is important. Men will see Zerubbabel. Then they will sing and they will be happy. They will see him with a line in his hand to measure the walls. The Lord sees everything in the whole earth. (The seven lights are the seven eyes of the Lord.)
• 2 Chronicles 7:15Now I will watch over this place. I will answer the prayers that people offer to me here.
• Psalms 65:2You answer our prayers. All of us must come to you,
• Proverbs 15:8When wicked people offer sacrifices to the Lord, he hates it. But he is pleased when good people pray to him.
• John 9:31We know that God does not listen to people who do not obey him. But he does listen to good people who do what he wants them to do.
• James 5:16So you should tell each other about any wrong things that you have done. Then you will be able to pray for each other, so that God makes you well again. When a good person prays to God, God does powerful things.
• Leviticus 17:10An Israelite or a foreigner who lives among you must not eat blood. And they must not drink it. If somebody does, God will turn away from him. He will take that person away from his people.
• Leviticus 20:3I, the Lord, will turn away from that person. I will make him separate from his people. That person did not respect the Lord. He did not respect the Lord's holy name.
• Leviticus 26:17God will fight against you. Your enemies will win the war. They will become your rulers. Your soldiers will run away even when nobody is running after them.
• Psalms 80:16But now the enemy has cut down your vine, and they have burned it with fire. Show them that you are angry with them, and destroy them!
• Jeremiah 21:10I, the Lord, tell you this: I have decided not to rescue this city. Instead I will destroy it. I will give it to the king of Babylon. He will destroy it with fire.” ’
• Ezekiel 15:7I will become their enemy. They may have escaped from the fire once, but soon the fire will destroy them. When I punish them like that, then 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