English Standard Version
1 Peter 2:12
12Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
- New International Version (NIV)Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
- New King James Version (NKJV)having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Context of 1 Peter 2:12
10Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
Read all of 1 Peter 21 Peter 2:12 word by word
τὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἔχοντες καλήν, ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καταλαλοῦσιν ὑμῶν ὡς κακοποιῶν, ἐκ τῶν καλῶν ἔργων ἐποπτεύοντες δοξάσωσιν τὸν θεὸν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπισκοπῆς.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- yourσύsu · youG4771
- conversationἀναστροφήanastrophē · behaviourG391
- honestκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
- amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- they speak againstκαταλαλέωkatalaleō · to slanderG2635
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- evildoersκακοποιόςkakopoios · wrongdoingG2555
- they mayδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
- byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- worksἔργονergon · workG2041
- which they shall beholdἐποπτεύωepopteuō · to observeG2029
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- the dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- of visitationἐπισκοπήepiskopē · oversightG1984
Cross-references for 1 Peter 2:12
- 1 Peter 3:2when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
- Psalms 37:14The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;
- Psalms 50:23The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"
- 2 Corinthians 1:12For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.
- Ephesians 2:3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
- Ephesians 4:22to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
- Philippians 1:27Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
- 1 Timothy 4:12Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
- Hebrews 13:5Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
- James 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
- 2 Peter 3:11Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,
- Romans 12:17Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
- Romans 13:13Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
- 2 Corinthians 8:21for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.
- 2 Corinthians 13:7But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.
- Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Commentaries on 1 Peter 2:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Having your conversation honest - Living in such a manner among the Gentiles, in whose country ye sojourn, as becomes the Gospel which ye profess. That whereas they speak against you as evil doers - In all the heathen countries, in the first age of the Church, the Christians and the Jews were confounded together; and as the latter mere everywhere exceedingly troublesome and seditious, the Christians shared in their blame, and suffered no small measure of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Having your conversation honest - Your conduct. See the notes at Philemon 1:27. That is, lead upright and consistent lives. Compare the notes at Philemon 4:8. Among the Gentiles - The pagans by whom you are surrounded, and who will certainly observe your conduct. See the notes at 1 Thessalonians 4:12, “That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without.” Compare Romans 13:13. That, whereas they speak against you as evil doers - Margin, “wherein.”…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-12Verses 11-12 Even the best of men, the chosen generation, the people of God, need to be exhorted to keep from the worst sins. And fleshly lusts are most destructive to man's soul. It is a sore judgment to be given up to them. There is a day of visitation coming, wherein God may call to repentance by his word and his grace; then many will glorify God, and the holy lives of his people will have promoted the happy change.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12on the day He visits us: The Greek phrase behind this wording can also be translated “on the day of visitation.” In the Greek Old Testament, day of visitation refers to a time when God comes to act in judgment against his enemies (Isaiah 10:3; Jeremiah 6:15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. conversation--"behavior"; "conduct." There are two things in which "strangers and pilgrims" ought to bear themselves well: (1) the conversation or conduct, as subjects (1Pe 2:13), servants (1Pe 2:18), wives (1Pe 3:1), husbands (1Pe 3:7), all persons under all circumstances (1Pe 2:8); (2) confession of the faith (1Pe 3:15, 16). Each of the two is derived from the will of God. Our conversation should correspond to our Saviour's condition; this is in…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Peter 2:12
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries