1 Petrus 3:11

11 Die wijke af van het kwade, en doe het goede; die zoeke vrede en jage denzelven na.

1 Petrus 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 Petrus 3:11 In-Context

9 Vergeldt niet kwaad voor kwaad, of schelden voor schelden, maar zegent daarentegen; wetende, dat gij daartoe geroepen zijt, opdat gij zegening zoudt beerven.
10 Want wie het leven wil liefhebben, en goede dagen zien, die stille zijn tong van het kwaad, en zijn lippen, dat zij geen bedrog spreken;
11 Die wijke af van het kwade, en doe het goede; die zoeke vrede en jage denzelven na.
12 Want de ogen des Heeren zijn over de rechtvaardigen, en Zijn oren tot hun gebed; maar het aangezicht des Heeren is tegen degenen, die kwaad doen.
13 En wie is het, die u kwaad doen zal, indien gij navolgers zijt van het goede?
The Dutch Staten Vertaling translation is in the public domain.