1 Peter 3:17
17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
If one suffers for doing what is right he will have nothing to correct or feel guilty about. But if one suffers because of a sin, he must ask for forgiveness and correct his behavior.
1 Peter 3:16
16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
Keeping a good conscience means that we will not do anything back to our accuser, or say anything cruel to them. In that way, they will have nothing to say again to us, only to be ashamed for what they already said to us.
1 Peter 3:15
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
Carrying on from verse 14, Peter tells those who are being intimidated, not to fear them but to sanctify (or to set apart as holy) Christ, and to put Him as Lord in their heart. This will make them ready to make a defense for the gospel. Thus, for everyone who asks us to give an account for the hope we have (or for everyone who is critical of us), we will be ready to give them an answer. And then Peter emphasizes that we are not to be harsh with them as they are with us; as he states in verse 9, to not return evil for evil. We are instead to be gentle with them with reverence (or respect).
1 Peter 3:13-14
13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,
When Peter says, “Who is there to harm you?” he is encouraging them to trust the Lord, and so, not to fear; for He will be with them (Isa. 41:10). If they, being righteous, suffer and fear intimidation they need not be troubled, only blessed by the Lord (Peter refers to Isa. 8:12-13).
1 Peter 3:10-12
10 For,
“THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,
MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.
11 “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD;
HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.
12 “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS,
AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,
BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”
In these verses, piggy backing on verse 9, Peter quotes from Psalm 34:12-16. I suppose, being aware of so much evil around him, Peter knows that the way of righteousness and peace is so much better.
1 Peter 3:8-9
8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
After Peter’s exhortation to be submissive, he gives this appeal to all believers: to be of one mind, understanding of each other, to love one another, to be kind to each other, and to be humble. Then (in verse 9), for those more apt to be proud, he tells them not to return evil for evil, but instead, to give them a blessing (Rom. 12:21). God desires that we all will be blessed. He wants to bless us through each other.
1 Peter 3:7
7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
Husbands are to be submissive in the same way as the wives; but not to her as a leader over him (he is to be the leader). His submissiveness is to God in his duty of understanding that she is a woman who is not as strong (physically) as a man. Also, he must honor her as a fellow heir of God’s gift of life. And if he does this (if he understands her and honors her) his prayers will not be hindered. I take this to imply that if a man is not submissive in his duty to his wife he will be in disobedience to God, and thus God will reject all of his prayers. We can’t expect our prayers to be heard if we go against God’s will, especially in regard to our wives.
1 Peter 3:5-6
5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.
The holy women like Sarah did adorn themselves with a gentle and quiet spirit; and thus, being holy she was submissive to her husband Abraham and also to God. All wives who do the same as Sarah will become her children (spiritually). And though some may be fearful of a non-believing husband, they need not be; for they are doing what is right in the eyes of God and He will guard their souls. Evil men may kill the body but not the soul.
1 Peter 3:3-4
3 Your adornment must not be merely external — braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
The wife’s external adornment must reflect her humble submissiveness (v. 5). And I think she can be both beautiful and submissive. But Peter emphasizes here that inner beauty is more important than outer beauty. Inner beauty will not fade away as a flower. In fact, if one is growing in the Lord it will increase in beauty, in contrast to the outward beauty of the body that will decrease with age. What is this inner beauty? Peter describes it as a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious to God.
1 Peter 3:1-2
1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
In this first verse, Peter returns to the subject of submission, which he began in 1 Peter 2:12, where he instructed his readers to keep their behavior excellent (in submission to God) among the Gentiles. Then in verse 13 they were to submit to every human institution; then in verse 18, servants were to be submissive to their masters.
Here Peter returns to this subject in regard to the family. Wives are to be submissive to their husbands. And the reason is so that any husband who is a non-believer may be won over by the good behavior (submissive behavior) of his wife. Apparently, God has put it in the heart of a man (even a non-believer) to think well of a chaste and respectful wife. Unfortunately, there are a few non-believers who are so evil that they will never be won over. If that is the case, there will be constant suffering for the believing wife, and she must continually cling to God for strength, and always requesting the prayers of church members.
Stephen Nielsen 