SUFFERING FOR DOING GOOD

Passage: 1 Peter 3:8-22

Key verse: 9

NIV

Suffering for Doing Good

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded,(A) be sympathetic, love one another,(B) be compassionate and humble.(C) 9 Do not repay evil with evil(D) or insult with insult.(E) On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,(F) because to this(G) you were called(H) so that you may inherit a blessing.(I) 10 For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 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.”[a](J)

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?(K) 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.(L) “Do not fear their threats[b]; do not be frightened.”[c](M) 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer(N) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope(O) that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience,(P) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.(Q) 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will,(R) to suffer for doing good(S) than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once(T) for sins,(U) the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.(V) He was put to death in the body(W) but made alive in the Spirit.(X) 19 After being made alive,[d] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits(Y)— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently(Z) in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.(AA) In it only a few people, eight in all,(AB) were saved(AC) through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you(AD) also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience(AE) toward God.[e] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,(AF) 22 who has gone into heaven(AG) and is at God’s right hand(AH)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.(AI)

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:12-16
  2. 1 Peter 3:14 Or fear what they fear
  3. 1 Peter 3:14 Isaiah 8:12
  4. 1 Peter 3:19 Or but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which also
  5. 1 Peter 3:21 Or but an appeal to God for a clear conscience
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

8 Finally, all of you, (A)have unity of mind, sympathy, (B)brotherly love, (C)a tender heart, and (D)a humble mind. 9 (E)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, (F)bless, for (G)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For

(H)“Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 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.”

13 Now (I)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 (J)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. (K)Have no fear of them, (L)nor be troubled, 15 but (M)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, (N)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and (O)respect, 16 (P)having a good conscience, so that, (Q)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For (R)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also (S)suffered[a] (T)once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, (U)that he might bring us to God, being put to death (V)in the flesh but made alive (W)in the spirit, 19 in which[b] he went and (X)proclaimed[c] to the spirits in prison, 20 because[d] they formerly did not obey, (Y)when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, (Z)while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, (AA)eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, (AB)now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but (AC)as an appeal to God for a good conscience, (AD)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and (AE)is at the right hand of God, (AF)with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Peter 3:18 Some manuscripts died
  2. 1 Peter 3:19 Or the Spirit, in whom
  3. 1 Peter 3:19 Or preached
  4. 1 Peter 3:20 Or when
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The world repays evil for evil, insult for insult. As God’s people, however, we should reflect the love of Christ. We are to be sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble. We are to bless and not take revenge. How can we do this? As quoted from Psalm 34, Peter said that the Lord’s ears are attentive to the prayers of the righteous. When we look to God in prayer, seeking to do good, He will bless.

We can also do good by remembering our Lord Jesus. He suffered for the unrighteous to bring us to God and to set the captives free. He is now seated on the right hand of God. We may suffer in this life for doing what is good, but we must remember that our reward is with Him. People might slander, but they will soon be put to shame. As we journey through this world, instead of taking revenge, may we reflect Christ. For those who suffer for what is right, they will surely be blessed in the age to come.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you obeyed the Father’s will and suffered for the unrighteous. Help me to reflect you while in this world, not seeking revenge, but doing what is good to bring glory to God.

One Word: Suffering for doing what is good