1 Peter 3:16

1 Peter 3:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
• New International Version (NIV)keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
• English Standard Version (ESV)having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
• New King James Version (NKJV)having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

Context of 1 Peter 3:16

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. 15Instead, always remember that Christ is your Lord. Let him rule how you live. People may ask you, ‘Why do you trust God to help you?’ You must always be ready to answer them about that. But when you tell them, be kind and polite. Do only what you know is right. Then those people will see that you live in a good way because you believe in Christ. When they say bad things against you they will become ashamed. 17Sometimes God may let you have trouble and pain even when you have done good things. But that is better than if you have trouble and pain because you have done bad things. 18Christ himself always did what was right. But he received pain on behalf of people who do what is wrong. He died once to take away all those wrong things. He did that to bring you near to God. People killed Christ's body, but God's Spirit made him alive again.

1 Peter 3:16 word by word

ἀλλὰ μετὰ πραΰτητος καὶ φόβου, συνείδησιν ἔχοντες ἀγαθήν, ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καταλαλεῖσθε καταισχυνθῶσιν οἱ ἐπηρεάζοντες ὑμῶν τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἐν Χριστῷ ἀναστροφήν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• conscienceσυνείδησιςsuneidēsis · conscienceG4893
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• whereasἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• they speak evilκαταλαλέωkatalaleō · to slanderG2635
• of youσύsu · youG4771
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• of evildoersκακοποιόςkakopoios · wrongdoingG2555
• they may be ashamedκαταισχύνωkataischunō · to dishonorG2617
• that falsely accuseἐπηρεάζωepēreazō · to mistreatG1908
• conversationἀναστροφήanastrophē · behaviourG391
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for 1 Peter 3:16

• 1 Peter 3:21That shows how God now saves you. It is like a picture of baptism. The water of baptism does not wash dirt from a person's body. Instead, it shows that a person has decided to obey God. He is choosing to do what is right. That saves you, because Jesus Christ became alive again after his death.
• 1 Peter 2:19This makes God happy. Maybe your master will punish you when you have done nothing wrong. If you know that you are serving God, continue to be patient and brave.
• Acts 24:16Because of that, I always try to do what is right. I do not want to do anything bad against God or against other people.
• Romans 9:1What I am telling you is true. I speak as someone who belongs to Christ. I am not telling lies. God's Holy Spirit rules my thoughts and I am sure that I am right.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12We can be proud of how we have lived in this world. We have been careful to be honest and good with everyone. And we have been like that with you even more. We are sure in our own minds that this is true. We have not tried to be clever in a human way. But we have lived in the way that God has helped us to live.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2We refuse to do anything secretly that we might be ashamed of. We do not tell lies. We do not change God's message to deceive people. No. We tell God's true message clearly. God himself sees that we teach people in an honest way. Everyone should understand that we only do what is right.
• 1 Timothy 1:5We need to teach people to love one another with pure thoughts. They need to be sure in their minds that they are living in a good way. They need to trust God completely.
• 2 Timothy 1:3Like my ancestors, I serve God in a good way, that I know is right. When I pray to God, at night and during the day, I always remember to pray for you. And I thank God for you.
• Hebrews 9:14But the blood of Christ's sacrifice will do much more than that! Christ offered himself to God, in the power of his Spirit, who lives for ever. That sacrifice was completely good. There was no wrong thing in Christ. He offered his own blood to make us completely clean inside ourselves. We no longer have to do things that lead to death. Instead, we can serve the God who lives for ever.
• Hebrews 13:18Pray to God for us. We are sure in our minds that we have done nothing wrong. We always want to do only what is right.
• 1 Peter 2:12You are living among people who do not know God. So be very careful that you always live in a good way. Sometimes these people may wrongly say that you do bad things. But if you continue to live in a good way, they will see that you really do good things. As a result, on the day when God comes as judge, they will give honour to him.
• Matthew 5:11Yes, happy are you when people say bad things against you because you believe in me. Or they may hurt you. Or they may say things about you that are not true.
• 1 Peter 3:1I need to speak to you wives. You should each respect the authority of your own husband. Even if your husband does not believe God's message about Jesus Christ, you should still respect him. If you do that, he may then turn to God and believe his message. You will not need to tell him what is true. He will see the good way that you live.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 3:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Having a good conscience - The testimony of God in your own soul, that in simplicity and godly sincerity you have your conversation in the world. See on the term conscience at the end of Hebrews. Whereas they speak evil of you - See the same sentiment in 1 Peter 2:11; and the note there.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Having a good conscience - That is, a conscience that does not accuse you of having done wrong. Whatever may be the accusations of your enemies, so live that you may be at all times conscious of uprightness. Whatever you suffer, see that you do not suffer the pangs inflicted by a guilty conscience, the anguish of remorse. On the meaning of the word “conscience,” see the notes at Romans 2:15. The word properly means the judgment of the mind respecting…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-22Verses 14-22 We sanctify God before others, when our conduct invites and encourages them to glorify and honour him. What was the ground and reason of their hope? We should be able to defend our religion with meekness, in the fear of God. There is no room for any other fears where this great fear is; it disturbs not. The conscience is good, when it does its office well. That person is in a sad condition on whom sin and suffering meet: sin makes suffering…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-17This short paragraph emphasizes how Christians should respond to suffering by following Christ's example (see 3:18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Having a good conscience--the secret spring of readiness to give account of our hope. So hope and good conscience go together in Ac 24:15, 16. Profession without practice has no weight. But those who have a good conscience can afford to give an account of their hope "with meekness." whereas--(1Pe 2:12). they speak evil of you, as of evildoers--One oldest manuscript reads, "ye are spoken against," omitting the rest. falsely accuse--"calumniate"; the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 3:16

• Commandments
• Conscience
• Falsehood
• Influence
• Integrity
• Persecution
• Slander
• Speaking

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Adorning
• Chaste
• Contrariwise
• Ornament
• Pitiful
• Quiet
• Railing
• Reason

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