New International Version
1 Peter 2:12
12Live 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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 the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 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. 13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
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 the purity and reverence of your lives.
- Psalms 37:14The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
- Psalms 50:23Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:12Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.
- Ephesians 2:3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
- Ephesians 4:22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- Philippians 1:27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel
- 1 Timothy 4:12Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
- Hebrews 13:5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
- James 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- 2 Peter 3:11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
- Romans 12:17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
- Romans 13:13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
- 2 Corinthians 8:21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
- 2 Corinthians 13:7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.
- Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such 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
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