1 Peter 2:12 (YLT)

Passage

having your behaviour among the nations right, that in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, of the good works having beheld, they may glorify God in a day of inspection.

Nearby Context

1 Peter 2:10 who <FI>were<Fi> once not a people, and <FI>are<Fi> now the people of God; who had not found kindness, and now have found kindness.

1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I call upon <FI>you<Fi> , as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that war against the soul,

1 Peter 2:12 having your behaviour among the nations right, that in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, of the good works having beheld, they may glorify God in a day of inspection.

1 Peter 2:13 Be subject, then, to every human creation, because of the Lord, whether to a king, as the highest,

1 Peter 2:14 whether to governors, as to those sent through him, for punishment, indeed, of evil-doers, and a praise of those doing good;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "good works", "having", "behaviour", "nations", "right", "speak", "against", and "evil-doers". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "good works" and "having", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "Beloved I call upon FI you Fi..." into verse 13's "Be subject then to every human creation...", so "good works" and "having" 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 "good works" and "having" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.