1 Peter 3:9 (DRB)

Passage

Not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing: for unto this are you called, that you may inherit a blessing.

Nearby Context

1 Peter 3:7 Ye husbands, likewise dwelling with them according to knowledge, giving honour to the female as to the weaker vessel and as to the co-heirs of the grace of life: that your prayers be not hindered.

1 Peter 3:8 And in fine, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble:

1 Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing: for unto this are you called, that you may inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "rendering", "evil", "railing", "contrariwise", and "blessing". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "rendering", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "And in fine be ye all of..." into verse 10's "For he that will love life and...", so "called" and "rendering" 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 "called" and "rendering" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.