1 Peter 3:17 (ASV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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.

1 Peter 3:18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

1 Peter 3:19 in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "will of God", "better", "should", "suffer", "well-doing", "than", and "evil-doing". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "will of God" and "better", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "having a good conscience that wherein ye..." into verse 18's "Because Christ also suffered for sins once...", so "will of God" and "better" 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 "will of God" and "better" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.