1 Peter 3:17
New International Version
For it is better, if it is God’s will, 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!

English Standard Version
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Berean Standard Bible
For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Berean Literal Bible
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if the will of God wills it, than doing evil,

King James Bible
For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

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 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.

NASB 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.

NASB 1977
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.

Legacy Standard Bible
For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing good rather than for doing wrong.

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.

Christian Standard Bible
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For it is an advantage to you that when you are doing good works, you suffer evil, if it is thus the will of God, but not while you are doing evil.

Contemporary English Version
You are better off to obey God and suffer for doing right than to suffer for doing wrong.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For it is better doing well (if such be the will of God) to suffer, than doing ill.

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After all, if it is God's will, it's better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong.

Good News Translation
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if this should be God's will, 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.

Literal Standard Version
for if the will of God wills it, [it is] better to suffer doing good, than doing evil;

Majority Standard Bible
For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

New American Bible
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

NET Bible
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.

New Revised Standard Version
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.

New Heart English Bible
For it is better, if it is God's will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil.

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.

Weymouth New Testament
For it is better that you should suffer for doing right, if such be God's will, than for doing evil;

World English Bible
For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing what is right than for doing evil.

Young's Literal Translation
for it is better doing good, if the will of God will it, to suffer, than doing evil;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Suffering for Righteousness
16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ. 17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,…

Cross References
Acts 18:21
But as he left, he said, "I will come back to you if God is willing." And he set sail from Ephesus.

1 Peter 1:6
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials

1 Peter 2:15
For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.

1 Peter 2:20
How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

1 Peter 4:15
Indeed, none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or wrongdoer, or even as a meddler.

1 Peter 4:19
So then, those who suffer according to God's will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.


Treasury of Scripture

For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

if.

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 Creator.

Matthew 26:39,42
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: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt

Acts 21:14
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

suffer.

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;

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Better Evil Evildoers Evil-Doing God's Good Pain Purpose Rather Right Suffer Undergo Well-Doing Wrong
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Better Evil Evildoers Evil-Doing God's Good Pain Purpose Rather Right Suffer Undergo Well-Doing Wrong
1 Peter 3
1. He teaches the duty of wives and husbands to each other;
8. exhorting all men to unity and love;
14. and to suffer persecution.
19. He declares also the benefits of Christ toward the old world.














(17) For it is better.--There is a kind of ironical suppression in this comparison.

If the will of God be so.--A strikingly reverent phrase in the original, If the will of God should will it. This is, of course, to be taken only with the word "suffer," which itself means, as in 1Peter 3:14, to suffer capitally. St. Peter is thinking of the legal process of 1Peter 3:15-16, coming to a verdict of "guilty." He was himself daily expecting such a death.

For well doing.--Better, perhaps, as well doers. It does not necessarily mean, in the Greek, that the well doing was the reason of the suffering, but simply that it accompanied it.

Verse 17. - For it is better. St. Peter meets the common objection that suffering could be borne more easily if it were deserved; the Christian must take the cross, if it comes, as from God, sent for his good (comp. 1 Peter 2:19, 20). If the will of God be so; literally, if the will of God should so will. Θέλημα denotes the will in itself; θέλειν, its active operation (Wirier, 3:65. β). That ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing. The construction is participial, as in 1 Peter 2:20. As there, the participle expresses, not merely the circumstances, but the cause of the suffering; they would have to suffer, not simply while they were doing well, but because they did Well.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

[it is] better,
κρεῖττον (kreitton)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular - Comparative
Strong's 2909: Stronger, more excellent. Comparative of a derivative of kratos; stronger, i.e. better, i.e. Nobler.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

[it is]
θέλοι (theloi)
Verb - Present Optative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

God’s
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

will,
θέλημα (thelēma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2307: An act of will, will; plur: wishes, desires. From the prolonged form of ethelo; a determination, i.e. choice or inclination.

to suffer
πάσχειν (paschein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 3958: I am acted upon in a certain way, either good or bad; I experience ill treatment, suffer.

[for] doing good
ἀγαθοποιοῦντας (agathopoiountas)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 15: To do that which is good. From agathopoios; to be a well-doer.

than
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

for doing evil.
κακοποιοῦντας (kakopoiountas)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2554: To do harm, do wrong, do evil, commit sin. From kakopoios; to be a bad-doer, i.e. to injure, or to sin.


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NT Letters: 1 Peter 3:17 For it is better if it (1 Pet. 1P iP i Pet)
1 Peter 3:16
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