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cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/">Commentaries</a> > 1 Peter 3:17</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../1_peter/3-16.htm" title="1 Peter 3:16">◄</a> 1 Peter 3:17 <a href="../1_peter/3-18.htm" title="1 Peter 3:18">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">For <i>it is</i> better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/alford/1_peter/3.htm" title="Henry Alford - Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary">Alford</a> • <a href="/commentaries/barnes/1_peter/3.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/bengel/1_peter/3.htm" title="Bengel's Gnomen">Bengel</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/1_peter/3.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/1_peter/3.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/1_peter/3.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/1_peter/3.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/1_peter/3.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/1_peter/3.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/1_peter/3.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/1_peter/3.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/1_peter/3.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/egt/1_peter/3.htm" title="Expositor's Greek">Exp Grk</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/1_peter/3.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/1_peter/3.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/1_peter/3.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/1_peter/3.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/1_peter/3.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/1_peter/3.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/1_peter/2-24.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/1_peter/3.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/icc/1_peter/3.htm" title="ICC NT Commentary">ICC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/1_peter/3.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kelly/1_peter/3.htm" title="Kelly Commentary">Kelly</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/1_peter/3.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/1_peter/3.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/1_peter/3.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/1_peter/3.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/1_peter/3.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/meyer/1_peter/3.htm" title="Meyer Commentary">Meyer</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/1_peter/3.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pnt/1_peter/3.htm" title="People's New Testament">PNT</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/1_peter/3.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/1_peter/3.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/1_peter/3.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/1_peter/3.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/teed/1_peter/3.htm" title="Teed Bible Commentary">Teed</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/1_peter/3.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/vws/1_peter/3.htm" title="Vincent's Word Studies">VWS</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/1_peter/3.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/1_peter/3.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(17) <span class= "bld">For it is better.</span>—There is a kind of ironical suppression in this comparison.<p><span class= "bld">If the will of God be so.</span>—A strikingly reverent phrase in the original, <span class= "ital">If the will of God should will it.</span> This is, of course, to be taken only with the word “suffer,” which itself means, as in <a href="/1_peter/3-14.htm" title="But and if you suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are you: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;">1Peter 3:14</a>, to suffer <span class= "ital">capitally.</span> St. Peter is thinking of the legal process of <a href="/context/1_peter/3-15.htm" title="But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:">1Peter 3:15-16</a>, coming to a verdict of “guilty.” He was himself daily expecting such a death.<p><span class= "bld">For well doing.</span>—Better, perhaps, <span class= "ital">as well doers.</span> It does not necessarily mean, in the Greek, that the well doing was the <span class= "ital">reason</span> of the suffering, but simply that it accompanied it.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/benson/1_peter/3.htm">Benson Commentary</a></div><span class="bld"><a href="/context/1_peter/3-17.htm" title="For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing....">1 Peter 3:17-18</a></span>. <span class="ital">For it is </span>infinitely <span class="ital">better, if the will of God be so </span>— That you should suffer; and his permissive will in this respect appears from his providence; <span class="ital">that ye suffer for well-doing, </span>rather <span class="ital">than for evil-doing </span>— The testimony of a good conscience, and the sense of the divine favour, affording the no blest supports in the former case; whereas, in the latter, the severest torments that can be endured are those which the guilty mind inflicts upon itself; to which may be added, that while we suffer for the truth, we have the comfort of reflecting that we follow our blessed Redeemer, which is another most powerful source of consolation. <span class="ital">For Christ also hath once suffered for sins </span>— Not his own, but for ours, to make an atonement for them; <span class="ital">the just for the unjust </span>— Or the <span class="ital">holy for the unholy; </span>for the word <span class="ital">just </span>here denotes a person who has fulfilled not barely social duties, but every branch of righteousness; and the word <span class="ital">unjust </span>signifies not only those who have wronged their neighbours, but those who have transgressed any of the commands of God; <span class="ital">that he might bring us to God </span>— Might reconcile God to us, and us to God; and might obtain for us his gracious favour here, his Holy Spirit, to renew us after his image, and might bring us to his blissful presence hereafter; by the same steps of suffering and of glory. It is justly observed by Macknight, that in the sufferings of Christ we have a clear proof that sufferings are no evidence of the wickedness of the sufferer, nor of the badness of the cause for which he suffers; and that the power of God, visible in Christ’s resurrection, affords to all, who lose their lives for the gospel, a sure ground of consolation and hope that God will raise them up at the last day. <span class="ital">Being put to death in the flesh </span>— In the human nature; or in respect of that frail, mortal life he had on earth; <span class="ital">but quickened </span>— <span class="greekheb">Ζωοποιηθεις</span>, <span class="ital">made alive; by the Spirit </span>— The Spirit of God and of Christ. “As Christ was conceived in the womb of his mother by the Holy Spirit, (<a href="/luke/1-35.htm" title="And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come on you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.">Luke 1:35</a>,) so he was raised from the dead by the same Spirit; on which account he is said (<a href="/1_timothy/3-16.htm" title="And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.">1 Timothy 3:16</a>) to have been justified by the Spirit; and (<a href="/hebrews/9-14.htm" title="How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?">Hebrews 9:14</a>) to have offered himself without spot to God, <span class="ital">through the eternal Spirit. </span>It is true the resurrection of Christ is ascribed to the Father, <a href="/1_corinthians/6-14.htm" title="And God has both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.">1 Corinthians 6:14</a>; <a href="/2_corinthians/4-14.htm" title="Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.">2 Corinthians 4:14</a>; <a href="/ephesians/1-20.htm" title="Which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,">Ephesians 1:20</a>; but that is not inconsistent with Peter’s affirmation in this verse;” for the Father may, with the strictest propriety, be said to have done what his Spirit did, especially as it was done to show that God acknowledged Jesus to be his Son. And our Lord’s words, (<a href="/john/2-19.htm" title="Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.">John 2:19</a>,) <span class="ital">Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up, </span>are to be understood in the same manner. He raised it up by that Spirit which proceeded from him as well as from the Father.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/1_peter/3.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>3:14-22 We sanctify God before others, when our conduct invites and encourages them to glorify and honour him. What was the ground and reason of their hope? We should be able to defend our religion with meekness, in the fear of God. There is no room for any other fears where this great fear is; it disturbs not. The conscience is good, when it does its office well. That person is in a sad condition on whom sin and suffering meet: sin makes suffering extreme, comfortless, and destructive. Surely it is better to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing, whatever our natural impatience at times may suggest. The example of Christ is an argument for patience under sufferings. In the case of our Lord's suffering, he that knew no sin, suffered instead of those who knew no righteousness. The blessed end and design of our Lord's sufferings were, to reconcile us to God, and to bring us to eternal glory. He was put to death in respect of his human nature, but was quickened and raised by the power of the Holy Spirit. If Christ could not be freed from sufferings, why should Christians think to be so? God takes exact notice of the means and advantages people in all ages have had. As to the old world, Christ sent his Spirit; gave warning by Noah. But though the patience of God waits long, it will cease at last. And the spirits of disobedient sinners, as soon as they are out of their bodies, are committed to the prison of hell, where those that despised Noah's warning now are, and from whence there is no redemption. Noah's salvation in the ark upon the water, which carried him above the floods, set forth the salvation of all true believers. That temporal salvation by the ark was a type of the eternal salvation of believers by baptism of the Holy Spirit. To prevent mistakes, the apostle declares what he means by saving baptism; not the outward ceremony of washing with water, which, in itself, does no more than put away the filth of the flesh, but that baptism, of which the baptismal water formed the sign. Not the outward ordinance, but when a man, by the regeneration of the Spirit, was enabled to repent and profess faith, and purpose a new life, uprightly, and as in the presence of God. Let us beware that we rest not upon outward forms. Let us learn to look on the ordinances of God spiritually, and to inquire after the spiritual effect and working of them on our consciences. We would willingly have all religion reduced to outward things. But many who were baptized, and constantly attended the ordinances, have remained without Christ, died in their sins, and are now past recovery. Rest not then till thou art cleansed by the Spirit of Christ and the blood of Christ. His resurrection from the dead is that whereby we are assured of purifying and peace.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/1_peter/3.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>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. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/1_peter/3.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>17. better—One may object, I would not bear it so ill if I had deserved it. Peter replies, it is better that you did not deserve it, in order that doing well and yet being spoken against, you may prove yourself a true Christian [Gerhard].<p>if the will of God be so—rather as the optative is in the oldest manuscripts, "if the will of God should will it so." Those who honor God's will as their highest law (1Pe 2:15) have the comfort to know that suffering is God's appointment (1Pe 4:19). So Christ Himself; our inclination does not wish it.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/1_peter/3.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> <span class="bld">If the will of God be so; </span> viz. that ye must suffer; intimating that this is an argument for their patience and submission in their sufferings, and a ground of comfort to them, that they are led into them by the providence of God, (not by their own folly or rashness), and have him for a witness and judge both of their cause and deportment. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/1_peter/3.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>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, <p>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: <p>than for evil doing; as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a busy body in other men's matters, <a href="/1_peter/4-15.htm">1 Peter 4:15</a>. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/1_peter/3.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2"><span class="cverse3">{17}</span> For <i>it is</i> better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.</span><p>(17) A reason which stands upon two general rules of Christianity, which nonetheless all men do not allow. The one is, if we must suffer afflictions, it is better to suffer wrongfully than rightfully: the other is this, because we are so afflicted not by accident, but by the will of our God.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/meyer/1_peter/3.htm">Meyer's NT Commentary</a></div><a href="/1_peter/3-17.htm" title="For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.">1 Peter 3:17</a>. <span class="greekheb">κρεῖττον γάρ</span>] <span class="greekheb">γάρ</span> gives the ground of the exhortation contained in <span class="greekheb">συνείδ</span>. <span class="greekheb">ἔχ</span>. <span class="greekheb">ἀγ</span>.; the explanation of this <span class="greekheb">κρεῖττον</span> is contained in chap. <a href="/1_peter/2-19.htm" title="For this is thank worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.">1 Peter 2:19</a> ff.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">ἀγαθοποιοῦντας</span> … <span class="greekheb">πάσχειν</span>] The connection between these two ideas is the same as that between <span class="greekheb">ἀγαθοποιοῦντες καὶ πάσχοντες</span>, chap. <a href="/1_peter/2-20.htm" title="For what glory is it, if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? but if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.">1 Peter 2:20</a>, the participles giving not simply the special circumstances, as Hofmann asserts, but the reason of the suffering; this Schott denies as regards the first member: <span class="greekheb">ἀγαθοποιοῦντας</span>.[192]<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>The parenthetical clause: <span class="greekheb"><span class="bld"><span class="ital">ΕἸ ΘΈΛΟΙ ΤῸ ΘΈΛΗΜΑ ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ</span></span></span>, belongs to <span class="greekheb"><span class="bld"><span class="ital">ΠΆΣΧΕΙΝ</span></span></span>; the optative denotes the possibility: “<span class="ital">if such should be the will of God</span>”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>On the pleonasm: <span class="greekheb">θέλοι τὸ <span class="bld"><span class="ital">ΘΈΛΗΜΑ</span></span></span>, see Winer, p. 562 [E. T. 755]. The thought here is not quite the same as that of chap. <a href="/1_peter/2-20.htm" title="For what glory is it, if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? but if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.">1 Peter 2:20</a>. There, chief stress is laid on <span class="greekheb"><span class="bld"><span class="ital">ὙΜΟΜΈΝΕΙΝ</span></span></span>, to which no special prominence is here given. But, as in the former case the exhortation is enforced by reference to Christ, <span class="ital">i.e.</span> to His sufferings, so is it here also, in the following paragraph on to the end of the chapter, only that in this passage the typical character of His sufferings is less emphasized, whilst the exaltation which followed them is brought specially forward.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>[192] It must, indeed, be noted that those sufferings which the believers, as such, have to endure from the unbelieving world, overtake them because of their <span class="greekheb">ἀγαθοποιεῖν</span>; Christians who, though confessing Christ, at the same time live entirely like the children of the world, are well liked by the world.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/egt/1_peter/3.htm">Expositor's Greek Testament</a></div><a href="/1_peter/3-17.htm" title="For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.">1 Peter 3:17</a>. <span class="greekheb">κρεῖττον</span>, <span class="ital">cf.</span> <a href="/1_peter/2-19.htm" title="For this is thank worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.">1 Peter 2:19</a> f., where <span class="greekheb">χάρις κλέος</span> correspond to <span class="greekheb">μισθὸν περισσόν</span> of the sources.—<span class="greekheb">εἰ θέλοι τὸ θέλημα θεοῦ</span>. Again optative implies that it is a purely hypothetical case (<span class="ital">cf.</span> <a href="/1_peter/3-14.htm" title="But and if you suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are you: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;">1 Peter 3:14</a>). For the semi-personification of <span class="ital">the will of God</span> compare <a href="/ephesians/1-11.htm" title="In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will:">Ephesians 1:11</a>, where the <span class="greekheb">θέλημα</span> has a <span class="greekheb">βουλή</span>; so Paul is Apostle <span class="ital">through the will of God</span> (<a href="/1_corinthians/1-1.htm" title="Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,">1 Corinthians 1:1</a>; <a href="/2_corinthians/1-1.htm" title="Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:">2 Corinthians 1:1</a>). For the pleonastic expression <span class="ital">cf.</span> the verbal parallel <span class="greekheb">ἐάν τις θέλῃ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιεῖν</span>, <a href="/john/7-17.htm" title="If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.">John 7:17</a>. So <span class="ital">God’s patience was waiting</span> (<a href="/1_peter/3-20.htm" title="Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.">1 Peter 3:20</a>).<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/1_peter/3.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">17</span>. <span class="ital">For it is better, if the will of God be so</span>] Literally, the Greek presenting a kind of emphatic pleonasm, <span class="bld">if the will of God should so will</span>. The Apostle falls back upon the thought of chap. <a href="/1_peter/2-20.htm" title="For what glory is it, if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? but if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.">1 Peter 2:20</a>. Men feel most aggrieved when they suffer wrongfully. They are told that it is precisely in such sufferings that they should find ground for rejoicing. These, at any rate, cannot fail to work out for them some greater good.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/bengel/1_peter/3.htm">Bengel's Gnomen</a></div><a href="/1_peter/3-17.htm" title="For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.">1 Peter 3:17</a>. <span class="greekheb">Κρεῖττον</span>, <span class="ital">better</span>) happier, in innumerable ways.—<span class="greekheb">εἰ</span>, <span class="ital">if</span>) And this will is recognised from those things which befall us.—<span class="greekheb">τὸ θέλημα</span>, <span class="ital">the will</span>) which is kind.—<span class="greekheb">τοῦ Θεοῦ</span>, <span class="ital">of God</span>) For our inclination does not wish it. Comp. the words of Christ to <span class="ital">Peter</span>, <a href="/john/21-18.htm" title="Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you gird yourself, and walked where you would: but when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and carry you where you would not.">John 21:18</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/1_peter/3.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 17.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">For it is better</span>. 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. <a href="/1_peter/2-19.htm">1 Peter 2:19, 20</a>). <span class="cmt_word">If the will of God be</span> <span class="cmt_word">so;</span> literally, <span class="accented">if the will of God should so will.</span> <span class="greek">Θέλημα</span> denotes the will in itself; <span class="greek">θέλειν</span>, its active operation (Wirier, 3:65. <span class="greek">β</span>). <span class="cmt_word">That ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing</span>. The construction is participial, as in <a href="/1_peter/2-20.htm">1 Peter 2:20</a>. 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. 1 Peter 3:17<a name="vws" id="vws"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/vws/1_peter/3.htm">Vincent's Word Studies</a></div>If the will of God be so (εἰ θέλοι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ)<p>More literally, as Rev., preserving the play upon the word will, if the will of God should so will. <div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/1_peter/3-17.htm">1 Peter 3:17 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../1_peter/3-16.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="1 Peter 3:16"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="1 Peter 3:16" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../1_peter/3-18.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="1 Peter 3:18"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="1 Peter 3:18" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>