1 Peter 3:9-12

6. Toward Revilers 3:9-12

but contrariwise blessing

Eulogeo (eu, meaning good, well, plus logos, word, discourse): to speak well of. Hence in the New Testament, to bless, ascribe praise or glorification. We should not try to pay them back in their own coin.

for hereunto were ye called that ye should inherit a blessing

This phrase may be taken in two ways: One, you were called to bless others in order that you may, in the future, inherit a blessing (heaven). Two, Christians bless others, not in order that they should inherit a blessing, but because it is God's will and their duty as Christians to so act; that duty follow from the fact that God has made them inheritors of His blessings. God has blessed them, therefore, they must bless others. See comments, 1 Peter 3:10-11.

1 Peter 3:10-12 For,

He that would love life,
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips that they speak no guile:
And let him turn away from evil, and do good;
Let him seek peace, and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
And His ears unto their supplication:
But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.

Expanded Translation

Because,

He who wants (literally, is willing) to love life and enjoy it,

And see good, happy, delightful days,
Let him not use his lips to speak words of guile.

And he must turn aside from (the path of) evil, and must practice good (virtue, right);

He must seek and search for peaceeven chase after it.
For the eyes of the Lord are (favorably) upon the righteous ones
And His ears unto their entreaty (supplication, prayer),
But the face of the Lord is (unfavorably) upon the ones practicing evil.

It seems best to regard 1 Peter 3:10-12 as an illustration of the truth expressed in 1 Peter 3:9; i.e., that those who live righteously are blessed of God.

He that would love life

The word love here, agapao, is assumed by most critics to be used in the sense of enjoy. If then, we would get the most out of life, living it to its fullest and richest extent, we must follow the exhortations of these verses!

And see good days

The word rendered good (agathos), is here evidently used in the sense of happy, delightful, or satisfying.

Let him refrain his tongue from evil

The word, evil, kakos, may mean, among other things, malediction, that is, a curse, a slander.

And his lips that they speak no guile

See the word guile, dolos, defined under 1 Peter 2:1. Would we be truly happy? Would we arise each morning looking forward to the day ahead? Would we make the most out of our lives? God has the formula! His prescription must be taken to find real happiness! He calls for obedience, Then we may

Let our life and lips confess
The Holy Gospel we profess.

let him turn away

The word ekklino (ek, meaning out, out of, etc., plus klino, properly, to slope or bend; to bow down): to deflect, deviate (Romans 3:12), to decline or turn away from, avoid (Romans 16:17). The word is sometimes used of one turning away from the right path (Romans 3:12), and sometimes from the evil path. The exhortation here reminds one of Proverbs 4:14-15 :

Enter not into the path of the wicked,
And walk not in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, pass not by it;
Turn from it, and pass on.

Let him seek peace, and pursue it

SEEKzeteo: usually indicates simply to seek, to look for. It is not as strong as the next word.

PURSUEdioko: to put in rapid motion; to pursue; to follow, pursue the direction of. This same word is sometimes rendered persecute in the Scriptures.

This last sentence is evidently climactic. Let him seek peace, even (for so may the word -and,-' kai, be rendered) pursue it. How many of us are looking for peace with the diligence this verse requires? Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).