1 Peter 3:17 Meaning and Explanation
“For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →If suffering must come, it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
What Does 1 Peter 3:17 Mean?
Peter weighs two kinds of suffering. If God's will should permit hardship, far better that it come for doing good than as the fruit of wrongdoing.
The phrase if the will of God be so keeps even suffering within God's sovereign care; it does not fall outside his purpose. To suffer for good is clean, without the sting of guilt, and it joins the sufferer to Christ. Peter prepares his readers to face pain without shame, assuring them that righteous suffering, though hard, is the better path, and that it lies within the will of a God who wastes nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Peter 3:17
What does 1 Peter 3:17 mean?
If suffering must come, it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.