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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

1 Peter 3:17

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if this should be God's will, than for doing evil.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Commandments;   Example;   Persecution;   Thompson Chain Reference - Do Good;   Good;   Work, Religious;   Work-Workers, Religious;   Works, Good;   The Topic Concordance - Suffering;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Mark, gospel of;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Death of Christ;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Peter, the Epistles of;   Spirits in Prison;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Persecution in the Bible;   1 Peter;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Peter, First Epistle of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Mediator;   Peter Epistles of;   Sacrifice (2);   Spirits in Prison;   Suffering;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Affliction;   Persecution;   Peter, the First Epistle of;   Suffering;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 13;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
King James Version (1611)
For it is better, if the will of God be so, that yee suffer for well doing, then for euill doing.
King James Version
For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
English Standard Version
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
New American Standard Bible
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.
New Century Version
It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong if that is what God wants.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.
Berean Standard Bible
For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Contemporary English Version
You are better off to obey God and suffer for doing right than to suffer for doing wrong.
Complete Jewish Bible
For if God has in fact willed that you should suffer, it is better that you suffer for doing what is good than for doing what is evil.
Darby Translation
For [it is] better, if the will of God should will it, to suffer [as] well-doers than [as] evildoers;
Easy-to-Read Version
It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong. Yes, it is better if that is what God wants.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For it is better (if the will of God be so) that ye suffer for well doing, then for euil doing.
George Lamsa Translation
For it is better, if it is the will of God, that you suffer for good deeds, rather than for evil doing.
Lexham English Bible
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.
Literal Translation
For it is better, if the will of God wills it , to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Amplified Bible
For it is better that you suffer [unjustly] for doing what is right, if that should be God's will, than [to suffer justly] for doing wrong.
American Standard Version
For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.
Bible in Basic English
Because if it is God's purpose for you to undergo pain, it is better to do so for well-doing than for evil-doing.
Hebrew Names Version
For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil.
International Standard Version
After all, if it is the will of God, it is better to suffer for doing right than for doing wrong.
Etheridge Translation
For it helpeth you (if) while doing goodly works you have to sustain evil, if so it be the will of Aloha, and not while working evils.
Murdock Translation
For it is profitable to you, that ye suffer evil while ye do good deeds, if this should be the pleasure of God; and not, while ye do evil deeds.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For it is better, yf the wyll of God be so, that ye suffer for wel doyng, then for euyll doyng.
English Revised Version
For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well–doing than for evil–doing.
World English Bible
For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.
Weymouth's New Testament
For it is better that you should suffer for doing right, if such be God's will, than for doing evil;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For it is betere that ye do wel, and suffre, if the wille of God wole, than doynge yuele.
Update Bible Version
For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that you suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.
Webster's Bible Translation
For [it is] better, if the will of God is so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing.
New English Translation
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.
New King James Version
For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
New Living Translation
Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
New Life Bible
If God wants you to suffer, it is better to suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong.
New Revised Standard
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For it is, better, as well-doers, if it should please the pleasure of God, to be suffering, than, as evil-doers:
Douay-Rheims Bible
For it is better doing well (if such be the will of God) to suffer than doing ill.
Revised Standard Version
For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God's will, than for doing wrong.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
It is better (yf the wyll of God be so) that ye suffre for well doynge then for evyll doynge.
Young's Literal Translation
for [it is] better doing good, if the will of God will it, to suffer, than doing evil;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For it is better (yf the wyll of God be so) that ye suffre for well doynge, the for euell doynge.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for since it is the will of heaven you should suffer, it is better you should suffer for your virtue, than for any crimes.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Think about it, if you have to suffer, do it for the right reasons, not the wrong ones.

Contextual Overview

16 but do it with gentleness and respect. Keep your conscience clear, so that when you are insulted, those who speak evil of your good conduct as followers of Christ will become ashamed of what they say. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if this should be God's will, than for doing evil.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

if: 1 Peter 4:19, Matthew 26:39, Matthew 26:42, Acts 21:14

suffer: 1 Peter 3:14

Reciprocal: Genesis 39:21 - the Lord Genesis 40:15 - done 1 Samuel 21:5 - the vessels 1 Samuel 22:15 - Did I then 1 Samuel 25:21 - he hath requited Job 36:21 - this Psalms 38:20 - because Psalms 119:22 - for I have Mark 15:31 - He John 13:15 - given Romans 3:8 - we be Galatians 6:9 - well 1 Thessalonians 4:12 - ye may walk 1 Peter 4:16 - as

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
"We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden," the woman answered,
Genesis 3:3
"except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die."
Genesis 3:5
God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad."
Genesis 3:6
The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it.
Genesis 3:7
As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.
Genesis 3:9
But the Lord God called out to the man, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:11
"Who told you that you were naked?" God asked. "Did you eat the fruit that I told you not to eat?"
Genesis 3:13
The Lord God asked the woman, "Why did you do this?" She replied, "The snake tricked me into eating it."
Genesis 3:14
Then the Lord God said to the snake, "You will be punished for this; you alone of all the animals must bear this curse: From now on you will crawl on your belly, and you will have to eat dust as long as you live.
Genesis 3:16
And he said to the woman, "I will increase your trouble in pregnancy and your pain in giving birth. In spite of this, you will still have desire for your husband, yet you will be subject to him."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For it is better, if the will of God be so - That is, if God sees it to be necessary for your good that you should suffer, it is better that you should suffer for doing well than for crime. God often sees it to be necessary that his people should suffer. There are effects to be accomplished by affliction which can be secured in no other way; and some of the happiest results on the soul of a Christian, some of the brightest traits of character, are the effect of trials. But it should be our care that our sufferings should not be brought upon us for our own crimes or follies. No man can promote his own highest good by doing wrong, and then enduring the penalty which his sin incurs; and no one should do wrong with any expectation that it may be overruled for his own good. If we are to suffer, let it be by the direct hand of God, and not by any fault of our own. If we suffer then, we shall have the testimony of our own conscience in our favor, and the feeling that we may go to God for support. If we suffer for our faults, in addition to the outward pain of body, we shall endure the severest pangs which man can suffer - those which the guilty mind inflicts on itself.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. For it is better — See on 1 Peter 2:19; 1 Peter 2:20.


 
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