Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
Parallel translations
- WEB having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.
- BSB keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
- NKJV having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
- NASB and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
- NLT But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Keeping a good conscience and godly conduct, believers will shame those who slander them. A clear conscience and upright life ultimately put accusers to shame.
Overview
Peter pairs verbal witness with a 'good conscience' and consistent good behavior 'in Christ.' When believers are slandered, their blameless lives expose the falsehood of the accusations, so that critics are 'disappointed' or put to shame. Conduct and conscience thus reinforce the spoken defense of the hope within them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- 1 Pet 2:12Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
- 1 Pet 2:15For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
- Heb 13:18Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
- Titus 2:8Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
- Matt 5:11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
- 1 Pet 2:19For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
- 1 Tim 1:5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
- Rom 9:1I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
- Acts 24:16And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
- 2 Cor 1:12For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
- 1 Pet 3:21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
- 1 Pet 3:1–2Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
- Heb 9:14How 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?
- 2 Cor 4:2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
- 1 Tim 1:19Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
- 2 Tim 1:3I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
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