1 Peter 3:13 (DRB)

Passage

And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good?

Nearby Context

1 Peter 3:11 Let him decline from evil and do good: Let him seek after peace and pursue it:

1 Peter 3:12 Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears unto their prayers but the countenance of the Lord upon them that do evil things.

1 Peter 3:13 And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good?

1 Peter 3:14 But if also you suffer any thing for justice' sake, blessed are ye. And be not afraid of their fear: and be not troubled.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "hurt", "zealous", and "good". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hurt" and "zealous", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Because the eyes of the Lord are..." into verse 14's "But if also you suffer any thing...", so "hurt" and "zealous" 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 "hurt" and "zealous" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.