1 Peter 3:8-22

New International Version

Suffering for Doing Good

⁸Finally, all of you, be like-minded,^(A) be sympathetic, love one another,^(B) be compassionate and humble.^(C) ⁹Do 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) ¹⁰For,

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

¹³Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?^(K) ¹⁴But 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) ¹⁵But 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, ¹⁶keeping a clear conscience,^(P) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.^(Q) ¹⁷For it is better, if it is God’s will,^(R) to suffer for doing good^(S) than for doing evil. ¹⁸For 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) ¹⁹After being made alive,^[d] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits^(Y)— ²⁰to 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, ²¹and 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) ²²who has gone into heaven^(AG) and is at God’s right hand^(AH)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.^(AI)