1 Peter 3:15 (GNV)

Passage

But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekenesse and reuerence,

Nearby Context

1 Peter 3:13 And who is it that will harme you, if ye follow that which is good?

1 Peter 3:14 Notwithstanding blessed are ye, if ye suffer for righteousnes sake. Yea, feare not their feare, neither be troubled.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekenesse and reuerence,

1 Peter 3:16 Hauing a good coscience, that whe they speake euill of you as of euill doers, they may be ashamed, which slander your good conuersation in Christ.

1 Peter 3:17 For it is better (if the will of God be so) that ye suffer for well doing, then for euil doing.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sanctifie", "lord", "hearts", "ready", "alwayes", "giue", "answere", and "euery". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sanctifie" and "lord", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 14's "Notwithstanding blessed are ye if ye suffer..." into verse 16's "Hauing a good coscience that whe they...", so "sanctifie" and "lord" 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 "sanctifie" and "lord" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.