1 Peter 3:11

11 declinet autem a malo et faciat bonum inquirat pacem et persequatur eam

1 Peter 3:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Peter 3:11

Let him eschew evil
Avoid all kinds of evil, hate it, abstain from the appearance of it, and have no fellowship with it; and particularly should avoid rendering evil for evil, or taking revenge on persons for doing him ill:

and do good;
everything that is good, all good works, according to the will of God, in the exercise of faith, from a principle of love, and with a view to the glory of God; and without trusting to them, and depending upon them for life and salvation; and particularly do good for evil; do good to all men, acts of kindness and beneficence, even to enemies, and especially to them that are of the household of faith. The Jewish interpreters F23 on the psalm from whence these words are taken observe, that in the first of these clauses are contained all the negative precepts, whose number with them is three hundred, sixty, and five; and in the latter of them, all the affirmative precepts, which amount to two hundred and forty eight:

let him seek peace and ensue it:
"or pursue it"; let him seek after it, in the world, and with all men, as much as possible, yea, with his very enemies; and live a peaceable and quiet life, in the kingdom, city, town, and neighbourhood where he is; and particularly in the church of God, and with the saints; which he should seek with all diligence and eagerness, and pursue with all rigour to the utmost of his power; and endeavour to cultivate all he can, and follow the things which make for it. The note of one of the Jewish commentators F24 on this passage is, "seek peace", in thine own place; "and pursue it", in another place.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Aben Ezra & Kimchi in Psal. xxxiv. 14.
F24 Jarchi.

1 Peter 3:11 In-Context

9 non reddentes malum pro malo vel maledictum pro maledicto sed e contrario benedicentes quia in hoc vocati estis ut benedictionem hereditate possideatis
10 qui enim vult vitam diligere et videre dies bonos coerceat linguam suam a malo et labia eius ne loquantur dolum
11 declinet autem a malo et faciat bonum inquirat pacem et persequatur eam
12 quia oculi Domini super iustos et aures eius in preces eorum vultus autem Domini super facientes mala
13 et quis est qui vobis noceat si boni aemulatores fueritis
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.