a determination (properly · noun — nominative singular neuter
God
θεοῦ,theou
G2316
figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
so
θέλοιtheloi
G2309
to determine (as an active option from subjective impul… · verb — present active optative, 3rd person singular
suffer
πάσχεινpaschein
G3958
to experience a sensation or impression (usually painfu… · verb — present active infinitive
doing
ἀγαθοποιοῦντας,agathopoiountas
G15
to be a well-doer (as a favor or a duty) · verb — present active participle, accusative plural masculine
than
ἢē
G2228
disjunctive · conjunction
doing
κακοποιοῦντας·kakopoiountas
G2554
to be a bad-doer · verb — present active participle, accusative plural masculine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
1 Peter 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1 Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creat…
Matthew 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: neverthel…
Matthew 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be d…
Acts 21:14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
1 Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
1 Peter 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye ta…
1 Peter 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 3:16-17
The confession of a Christian's faith cannot credibly be supported but by the two means here specified - a good conscience and a good conversation. conscience is good when it does its office well, when it is kept pure and uncorrupt, and clear from guilt; then it will justify you, though men accuse you. A good conversation in Christ is a holy life, according to the doctrine and example of Christ. "Look well to your conscience, and to your conversation; and then, though men speak evil of you, and falsely accuse you as evil-doers, you will clear yourselves, and bring them to shame. Perhaps you may think it hard to suffer for well-doing, for keeping a good conscience and a good conversation; but…
better--One may object, I would not bear it so ill if I had deserved it. Peter replies, it is better that you did not deserve it, in order that doing well and yet being spoken against, you may prove yourself a true Christian [GERHARD].
if the will of God be so--rather as the optative is in the oldest manuscripts, "if the will of God should will it so." Those who honor God's will as their highest law (Pe1 2:15) have the comfort to know that suffering is God's appointment (Pe1 4:19). So Christ Himself; our inclination does not wish it.
Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 3:17
For it is better - See on Pe1 2:19, Pe1 2:20 (note).
John Gill on 1 Peter 3:17
For it is better, if the will of God be so,.... For all things are ordered by the will of God, even all the sufferings and afflictions of the saints; and which is a reason why they ought to be patiently submitted to, and bore: and "better" it is, more honourable and profitable,
that ye suffer for well doing; for believing in Christ, professing him and his Gospel, giving a free and open reason for so doing, and for exercising a good conscience, and living godly in Christ Jesus:
than for evil doing; as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a busy body in other men's matters, 1 Peter 4:15.
The Church Fathers
Everyone who lies acts unjustly, and if lying ever seems to be useful to someone, it may be that injustice sometimes seems useful to him. But in fact injustice is never useful, and lying always does harm.
Once again, Peter exhorts us not to grieve over unjust suffering, if that is God's will for us. He teaches us that we suffer for the specific purpose of being trained for what we are meant to be according to the mercy of God.
For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. This statement elegantly refutes the foolishness of those who, when they are accused by their brothers for faults or even restrained by punishments, endure it completely patiently; but when they suffer insults, losses of property, or any adversities from others without fault, they immediately burst into anger, and those who previously seemed innocent, through impatience and murmuring, render themselves guilty. So that the difference in the scourging appears vastly different in unequal merits, let us see that Tobias, Saul, and Elymas were struck by the same affliction of blindness. But Tobias was struck in order that the virtue of his patience might shine more widely as an example to all; Saul so that he might be transformed from Saul the persecutor into Paul the apostle; and Elymas so that, suffering the fitting punishment for his treachery, he would cease to lead astray those who were about to believe. And if I were given a choice, I would rather, with such a Father, be subjected to just scourging, divine or human, than be dragged to the pursuit of justice by the force of unjust blows. Again, I would rather be pulled back from faults by a scourge than be subjected to eternal punishment for the insurmountable weight of sins.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Example · CHRIST, OUR — CHRIST, OUR
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
John Calvin on 1 Peter 3:17-18
1 Peter 3:17-18
17. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
17. Praestat enim benefaciendo (si ita fert voluntas Dei) pati qu?m malefaciendo:
18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
18. Quia et Christus semel pro peccatis passus est, justus pro injustis, ut nos adduceret Deo; mortificatus quidem carne, vivificatus autem spiritu.
17 For it is better This belongs not only to what follows but to the whole context. He had spoken of the profession of faith, which at that time was attended with great danger; he s…
or be afraid of their threats: See Isa 8:13, where God exhorts the prophet to fear nothing except the Lord. • worship Christ as Lord: By fearing Christ, they will be free from fear of their human persecutors.
