1 Peter 3:17 (YLT)

Passage

for <FI>it is<Fi> better doing good, if the will of God will it, to suffer, than doing evil;

Nearby Context

1 Peter 3:15 and the Lord God sanctify in your hearts. And <FI>be<Fi> ready always for defence to every one who is asking of you an account concerning the hope that <FI>is<Fi> in you, with meekness and fear;

1 Peter 3:16 having a good conscience, that in that in which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may be ashamed who are traducing your good behaviour in Christ;

1 Peter 3:17 for <FI>it is<Fi> better doing good, if the will of God will it, to suffer, than doing evil;

1 Peter 3:18 because also Christ once for sin did suffer--righteous for unrighteous--that he might lead us to God, having been put to death indeed, in the flesh, and having been made alive in the spirit,

1 Peter 3:19 in which also to the spirits in prison having gone he did preach,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "will of God", "better", "doing", "good", "suffer", "than", and "evil". 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 in that..." into verse 18's "because also Christ once for sin did...", 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.