1 Peter 3:16
in 1 Peter 3keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ.
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.
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This verse in 1 Peter 3
Commentary
13 notes on this verseDo not get angry or threaten anyone. Your conscience is the part of you which embraces what is good and which rejects evil. It is like the doorkeeper of a house which is open to friends and closed to enemies.
This site's exposition
sanctify Christ as Lord
on 1 Peter 3:15-17
Isaiah 8:13 tells Israel to hold the LORD of hosts holy, and Peter writes sanctify Christ as Lord, applying Isaiah's LORD to Jesus. Every believer is to give a defense, apologia, for the hope that is in you, and to give it with gentleness and respect.
This site's exposition
keeping a clear conscience
John Wesley warns that a believer who knows he is in the right can be drawn into anger; a clear conscience needs gentleness and respect. Good behavior in Christ answers the slander. Those who slander are put to shame.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Therefore, sanctify God in your hearts, and do not be afraid of human fear nor be troubled. But always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you. And do this with the demonstration …
"Having a good conscience." That is, while you are well aware of yourselves and not evil, as those who slander you are. "that when they defame you." That is, those who create trouble with words, harshly investigating.
The Medieval Church3 voices
With gentleness and respect, maintaining a good conscience. In the very knowledge of doctrine, he advises observing the quality of teaching, so that humility, which is the teacher and mother of all virtues, may be spoken and shown through seeing.
So that when they malign you as evildoers, etc. So that those who jeer at your faith and hope in heavenly things they cannot see, may see your good works, and by these be put to shame because they cannot deny they are openly good. …
The words "ready... to give an answer" and so forth must be connected with the words "show good conduct" ("have a good conscience"). For when you do this with meekness and propriety, then you yourselves will be assured that you have a good conscience, and …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Having a good conscience - So much the more beware of anger, to which the very consciousness of your innocence may betray you. Join with a good conscience meekness and fear, and you obtain a complete victory. Your good conversation in Christ - That is, which flows from faith in him.
Having a good conscience,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Having 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 1Pe 2:11 and the note there.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It is translated, "despitefully use," Mt 5:44; Lu 6:28. conversation--life, conduct. in Christ--who is the very element of your life as Christians. "In Christ" defines "good." It is your good walk as Christians, not as citizens, that calls forth malice (1Pe 4:4, 5, 14).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Having 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 Rom 2:15. The word properly means the judgment of the mind respecting right and wrong; or the judgment which the mind passes on the immorality of its own actions, when it instantly approves or condemns them. There is always a feeling of obligation connected with operations of conscience, which precedes, attends, and follows our actions. “Conscience is first occupied in ascertaining our duty, before we proceed to action; then in judging of our actions when performed.” A “good conscience” implies two things: (1) That it be properly enlightened to know what is right and wrong, or that it be not under the dominion of ignorance, superstition, or fanaticism, prompting us to do what would be a violation of the divine law; and, (2) That its dictates must always be obeyed. Without the first of these - clear views of that which is right and wrong - conscience becomes an unsafe guide; for it merely prompts us to do what we esteem to be right, and if our views of what is right and wrong are erroneous, we may be prompted to do what may be a direct violation of the law of God. […]
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| συνείδησιν | suneidesin | [16] a conscience | G4893 → | 30 times |
| ἔχοντες | echontes | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἀγαθήν, | agathen | good, | G18 → | 102 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ᾧ | ho | this | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| καταλαλεῖσθε | katalaleisthe | you are spoken against | G2635 → | |
| καταισχυνθῶσιν | kataischunthosin | they may be ashamed | G2617 → | |
| οἱ | hoi | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπηρεάζοντες | epereazontes | reviling | G1908 → | |
| ὑμῶν | humon | your | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγαθὴν | agathen | good | G18 → | 102 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Χριστῷ | christo | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| ἀναστροφήν. | anastrophen | manner of life. | G391 → | 13 times |
συνείδησιν[16] a conscience
suneidesinG4893 →30 times
ἔχοντεςhaving
echontesG2192 →707 times
ἀγαθήν,good,
agathenG18 →102 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ᾧthis
hoG3739 →1405 times
καταλαλεῖσθεyou are spoken against
katalaleistheG2635 →
καταισχυνθῶσινthey may be ashamed
kataischunthosinG2617 →
οἱthose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἐπηρεάζοντεςreviling
epereazontesG1908 →
ὑμῶνyour
humonG4771 →2973 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἀγαθὴνgood
agathenG18 →102 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ΧριστῷChrist
christoG5547 →523 times
ἀναστροφήν.manner of life.
anastrophenG391 →13 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 5:11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 4:14
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
- Luke 21:17
And you will be hated by everyone because of My name.
- Mark 13:13
You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- Matthew 24:9
Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
- Luke 6:22
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.
- 1 Peter 4:14
Through
1 Peter 2:12Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Titus 2:7–8
In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
- Philippians 2:15–16
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
- Matthew 5:16
Where this verse is studied
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About 1 Peter
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 1 PETER; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 Peter and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Peter.