Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

1 Peter 3

8 Finally, all of you, u have unity of mind, sympathy, v brotherly love, w a tender heart, and x a humble mind. 9 y Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, z bless, for a to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

10 For
b "Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
 11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

13 Now c who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 d But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. e Have no fear of them, f nor be troubled, 15 but g in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, h always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and i respect, 16 j having a good conscience, so that, k when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For l it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also m suffered 1 n once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, o that he might bring us to God, being put to death p in the flesh but made alive q in the spirit, 19 in which 2 he went and q proclaimed 3 to the spirits in prison, 20 because 4 they formerly did not obey, r when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, s while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, t eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, u now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but v as an appeal to God for a good conscience, w through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and x is at the right hand of God, y with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

  1. Cross References
    Romans 12:16
    Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
  2. Cross References
    Hebrews 13:1
    Let brotherly love continue.
  3. Cross References
    Ephesians 4:32
    Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
  4. Cross References
    Ephesians 4:2
    With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.
  5. Cross References
    1 Peter 2:23
    When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
    Romans 12:17
    Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
  6. Cross References
    Luke 6:28
    Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
    Romans 12:14
    Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
    1 Corinthians 4:12
    And we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure.
  7. Cross References
    1 Peter 2:21
    For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
  8. Cross References
    Psalms 34:12 - 16
    What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?
  9. Cross References
    Psalms 34:12 - 16
    What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?
  10. Cross References
    Proverbs 16:7
    When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
  11. Cross References
    1 Peter 2:19 - 20
    For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.
    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 upon you.
    1 Peter 4:16
    Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
    Matthew 5:10
    Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  12. Cross References
    Isaiah 8:12 - 13
    Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread.
    1 Peter 3:6
    As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
    Matthew 10:28
    And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
  13. Cross References
    John 14:1
    Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
    John 14:27
    Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
  14. Cross References
    Isaiah 29:23
    For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
    Matthew 6:9
    Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
  15. Cross References
    Colossians 4:6
    Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
    2 Timothy 2:25
    Correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
  16. Cross References
    1 Peter 1:17
    And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.
  17. Cross References
    Hebrews 13:18
    Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.
  18. Cross References
    1 Peter 2:12
    Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
  19. Cross References
    1 Peter 2:20
    For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
    1 Peter 4:15 - 16
    But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.
  20. Cross References
    1 Peter 2:21
    For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
    1 Peter 4:1
    Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.
    Romans 4:25
    Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
  21. Cross References
    Hebrews 9:26
    For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
    Hebrews 9:28
    So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
  22. Cross References
    Romans 5:2
    Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
  23. Cross References
    1 Peter 4:1
    Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.
    Colossians 1:22
    He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.
    2 Corinthians 13:4
    For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.
  24. Cross References
    1 Peter 4:6
    For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.
  25. Cross References
    1 Peter 3:18
    For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.
  26. Cross References
    Genesis 6:3
    Then the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.
    Genesis 6:5
    The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
    Genesis 6:13 - 14
    And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
  27. Cross References
    Hebrews 11:7
    By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
  28. Cross References
    Genesis 7:1
    Then the Lord said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.
    Genesis 7:7
    And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood.
    Genesis 7:23
    He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark.
    Genesis 8:18
    So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him.
    2 Peter 2:5
    If he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly.
  29. Cross References
    Mark 16:16
    Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
    Acts 16:33
    And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
    Romans 6:3 - 6
    Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
    Titus 3:5
    He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
  30. Cross References
    Romans 10:10
    For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
  31. Cross References
    1 Peter 1:3
    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
  32. Cross References
    Acts 2:33 - 34
    Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
    Romans 8:34
    Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
    Ephesians 1:20
    That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.
    Colossians 3:1
    If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
    Hebrews 1:3
    He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
  33. Cross References
    Romans 8:38
    For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers.
    1 Corinthians 15:24
    Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
    Ephesians 1:21
    Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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