1 Peter 3:15 (ASV)

Passage

but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: [being] ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:

Nearby Context

1 Peter 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?

1 Peter 3:14 But even if ye should suffer for righteousness` sake, blessed [are ye:] and fear not their fear, neither be troubled;

1 Peter 3:15 but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: [being] ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:

1 Peter 3:16 having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ.

1 Peter 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sanctify", "hearts", "christ", "lord", "ready", "always", "give", and "answer". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sanctify" and "hearts", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 14's "But even if ye should suffer for..." into verse 16's "having a good conscience that wherein ye...", so "sanctify" and "hearts" belong inside that flow. In 1 Peter context, the local focus is hope in suffering, holy conduct, submission, and grace.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sanctify" and "hearts" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.