◄ 1 Peter 3:11 ►
He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
Study Bible
He must turn from evil

This phrase emphasizes the necessity of repentance, a central theme throughout the Bible. Turning from evil involves a conscious decision to reject sin and its influences. In the context of 1 Peter, the early Christians faced persecution and were called to live distinctively holy lives. This call to turn from evil echoes the message of the prophets, such as Isaiah 1:16-17, where the people of Israel are urged to wash themselves and cease to do evil. The concept of turning away from evil is also found in the wisdom literature, such as Proverbs 3:7, which advises fearing the Lord and shunning evil. This turning is not merely a rejection but a transformation of character, aligning with the New Testament call to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:16).

Pro 3:7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD…
Isa 1:16 Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds…
Rom 12:9 Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil;…

and do good;

The call to "do good" is a proactive command, urging believers to engage in righteous actions. This reflects the teachings of Jesus, who emphasized love and good deeds as evidence of faith (Matthew 5:16). In the Greco-Roman world, where Peter's audience lived, doing good was often associated with civic duty and public honor. However, Peter redefines it as a spiritual obligation, rooted in the character of God. The apostle Paul similarly encourages believers to not grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9). This phrase underscores the Christian ethic of active goodness, which is not just the absence of evil but the presence of positive, godly action.

Psa 34:14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good…

he must seek peace

Seeking peace involves both an internal and external pursuit. Internally, it refers to the peace of God that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7), which guards the hearts and minds of believers. Externally, it involves living in harmony with others, as much as it depends on the individual (Romans 12:18). In the historical context, early Christians were often at odds with both Jewish and Roman authorities, making the pursuit of peace a challenging yet essential endeavor. This pursuit is not passive but requires effort and intentionality, reflecting the peacemaking nature of Christ, who is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

Rom 14:19 So then, let us pursue what leads to peace…
Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness,…
Jas 3:18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit…

and pursue it.

The word "pursue" indicates an active, ongoing effort. It suggests that peace is not always easily attained and may require perseverance and sacrifice. This aligns with Jesus' teaching in the Beatitudes, where peacemakers are called blessed (Matthew 5:9). The pursuit of peace is a reflection of God's kingdom values, contrasting with the world's often contentious nature. In the broader biblical narrative, the pursuit of peace is linked to the ultimate reconciliation of all things through Christ (Colossians 1:20). This phrase calls believers to be agents of reconciliation, embodying the peace that Christ has made possible through His sacrifice.

2Ti 2:22 Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness…
Rom 12:18 If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Peter
The apostle Peter, one of Jesus' closest disciples, is the author of this epistle. He writes to encourage and instruct believers facing persecution.

2. Early Christian Communities
The recipients of Peter's letter were early Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor, facing trials and needing guidance on living a godly life amidst adversity.

3. Persecution of Christians
The context of Peter's writing includes the persecution of Christians, which required them to live out their faith with integrity and peace.
Teaching Points
Turning from Evil
Christians are called to actively reject sin and evil in their lives. This requires discernment and a commitment to holiness.

Doing Good
Beyond avoiding evil, believers are encouraged to engage in positive actions that reflect God's love and righteousness.

Seeking Peace
Peace is not passive; it requires intentional effort and pursuit. Christians should strive to be peacemakers in their communities and relationships.

Pursuing Peace
The pursuit of peace involves reconciliation, forgiveness, and the promotion of harmony, reflecting the peace of Christ in our interactions.
Bible Study Questions
1. What practical steps can you take to "turn away from evil" in your daily life?

2. How can you actively "do good" in your community or workplace this week?

3. In what ways can you "seek peace" in a current conflict or challenging relationship?

4. How does the call to pursue peace in 1 Peter 3:11 relate to Jesus' teaching in the Beatitudes?

5. Reflect on a time when pursuing peace required effort and sacrifice. What did you learn from that experience, and how can it inform your future actions?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 34:14
Peter's exhortation in 1 Peter 3:11 closely mirrors this verse, emphasizing the turning away from evil and the pursuit of peace.

Romans 12:18
Paul also encourages believers to live peaceably with all, as much as it depends on them, highlighting the importance of peace in Christian conduct.

Matthew 5:9
Jesus' Beatitudes bless the peacemakers, reinforcing the call to seek and pursue peace as a reflection of God's kingdom.
Sermons
Unity Between Christian PeopleU.R. Thomas 1 Peter 3:8-12
Injunctions to AllR. Finlayson 1 Peter 3:8-22
The Conduct Becoming the Christian Towards His PersecutorsC. New 1 Peter 3:9-17
All Sins to be EschewedJohn Rogers.1 Peter 3:10-11
Christians Must be Doers of GoodJohn Rogers.1 Peter 3:10-11
Dangers in Life to be AvoidedH. W. Beecher.1 Peter 3:10-11
Do GoodW. S. Plumer, D. D.1 Peter 3:10-11
Eschew Evil and Do Good1 Peter 3:10-11
How We Must Seek PeaceJohn Rogers.1 Peter 3:10-11
On Seeking PeaceBp. Kidder.1 Peter 3:10-11
The Evil of SinJohn Rogers.1 Peter 3:10-11
The Evil of the TongueAbp. Leighton.1 Peter 3:10-11
The Extent of Well-Doing RequiredJohn Rogers.1 Peter 3:10-11
The True Life Worth LivingBp. Alexander.1 Peter 3:10-11
The Way to Secure Good DaysThe Weekly Pulpit1 Peter 3:10-11
The Words of Our LipsH. J. Wilmot Buxton, M. A.1 Peter 3:10-11
VeracityF. Wayland.1 Peter 3:10-11
Why Sin Must be AvoidedJohn Rogers.1 Peter 3:10-11
Why We Must Seek PeaceJohn Rogers.1 Peter 3:10-11
People
Christians, Noah, Peter, Sara, Sarah
Places
Asia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Pontus
Topics
Aside, Avoid, Ensue, Eschew, Evil, Heart, Inquire, Peace, Pursue, Pursuit, Searching, Seek, Shun, Turn
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Peter 3:11

     6700   peace
     8737   evil, responses to

1 Peter 3:8-13

     8442   good works

1 Peter 3:9-12

     5705   inheritance, spiritual

1 Peter 3:10-13

     5847   enthusiasm

Library
Good Days
Eversley, 1867. Westminster, Sept. 27, 1872. 1 Peter iii. 8-12. "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 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: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

Fifth Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to the Fruits of Faith.
Text: 1 Peter 3, 8-15. 8 Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tender-hearted, humble-minded: 9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 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: 11 And let him turn away from evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Hallowing Christ
'Be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.'--1 Peter iii. 14, 15. These words are a quotation from the prophet Isaiah, with some very significant variations. As originally spoken, they come from a period of the prophet's life when he was surrounded by conspirators against him, eager to destroy, and when he had been giving utterance to threatening prophecies as to the coming up of the King of Assyria, and the voice of God encouraged him and his …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

April the Ninteenth Union in Harmony
"Be ye all of one mind." --1 PETER iii. 8-17. But this is not unison: it is harmony. When an orchestra produces some great musical masterpiece, the instruments are all of one mind, but each makes its own individual contribution. There is variety with concordance: each one serves every other, and the result is glorious harmony. "By love serve one another." It is love that converts membership into fraternity: it is love that binds sons and daughters into a family. Look at a field of wild-flowers. …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Mothers, Daughters, and Wives in Israel
In order accurately to understand the position of woman in Israel, it is only necessary carefully to peruse the New Testament. The picture of social life there presented gives a full view of the place which she held in private and in public life. Here we do not find that separation, so common among Orientals at all times, but a woman mingles freely with others both at home and abroad. So far from suffering under social inferiority, she takes influential and often leading part in all movements, specially …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Faith of Abraham.
"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Power of the Holy Ghost
We shall look at the power of the Holy Ghost in three ways this morning. First, the outward and visible displays of it; second, the inward and spiritual manifestations of it; and third, the future and expected works thereof. The power of the Spirit will thus, I trust, be made clearly present to your souls. I. First, then, we are to view the power of the Spirit in the OUTWARD AND VISIBLE DISPLAYS OF IT. The power of the Sprit has not been dormant; it has exerted itself. Much has been done by the Spirit …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Consecration: what is It?
The second step that must needs be taken by those of us who have been living without the Fullness, before it can be obtained, is Consecration, a word that is very common and popular; much more common and popular, it is feared, than the thing itself. In order to be filled with the Holy Ghost one must first be "cleansed," and then one must be "consecrated". Consecration follows cleansing, and not vice versa. Intelligent apprehension of what consecration is, and of what it involves, is necessary to …
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life

The Holy Spirit in the Glorified Christ.
"Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead."--Rom. i. 4. From the foregoing studies it appears that the Holy Spirit performed a work in the human nature of Christ as He descended the several steps of His humiliation to the death of the cross. The question now arises, whether He had also a work in the several steps of Christ's exaltation to the excellent glory, i.e., in His resurrection, ascension, royal dignity, and second coming. …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Of Baptism.
1. Baptism defined. Its primary object. This consists of three things. 1. To attest the forgiveness of sins. 2. Passages of Scripture proving the forgiveness of sins. 3. Forgiveness not only of past but also of future sins. This no encouragement to license in sin. 4 Refutation of those who share forgiveness between Baptism and Repentance. 5 Second thing in Baptism--viz. to teach that we are ingrafted into Christ for mortification and newness of life. 6. Third thing in Baptism--viz. to teach us that …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Authenticity and Credibility of the Pentateuch.
1. The historic truth of the Pentateuch is everywhere assumed by the writers of the New Testament in the most absolute and unqualified manner. They do not simply allude to it and make quotations from it, as one might do in the case of Homer's poems, but they build upon the facts which it records arguments of the weightiest character, and pertaining to the essential doctrines and duties of religion. This is alike true of the Mosaic laws and of the narratives that precede them or are interwoven …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

And not Without Just Cause a Doubt is Raised...
14. And not without just cause a doubt is raised, whether he said this of all married women, or of such as so many are, as that nearly all may be thought so to be. For neither doth that, which he saith of unmarried women, "She, that is unmarried, thinkest of the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit:" [1973] pertain unto all unmarried women: whereas there are certain widows who are dead, who live in delights. However, so far as regards a certain distinction and, as it were, character …
St. Augustine—On the Good of Marriage

Concerning Peaceableness
Blessed are the peacemakers. Matthew 5:9 This is the seventh step of the golden ladder which leads to blessedness. The name of peace is sweet, and the work of peace is a blessed work. Blessed are the peacemakers'. Observe the connection. The Scripture links these two together, pureness of heart and peaceableness of spirit. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable' (James 3:17). Follow peace and holiness' (Hebrews 12:14). And here Christ joins them together pure in heart, and peacemakers', …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Its Nature
Justification, strictly speaking, consists in God's imputing to His elect the righteousness of Christ, that alone being the meritorious cause or formal ground on which He pronounces them righteous: the righteousness of Christ is that to which God has respect when He pardons and accepts the sinner. By the nature of justification we have reference to the constituent elements of the same, which are enjoyed by the believer. These are, the non-imputation of guilt or the remission of sins, and second, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

Exhortations to Christians as they are Children of God
1 There is a bill of indictment against those who declare to the world they are not the children of God: all profane persons. These have damnation written upon their forehead. Scoffers at religion. It were blasphemy to call these the children of God. Will a true child jeer at his Father's picture? Drunkards, who drown reason and stupefy conscience. These declare their sin as Sodom. They are children indeed, but cursed children' (2 Peter 2:14). 2 Exhortation, which consists of two branches. (i) Let …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Sanctification
'For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.' I Thess 4:4. The word sanctification signifies to consecrate and set apart to a holy use: thus they are sanctified persons who are separated from the world, and set apart for God's service. Sanctification has a privative and a positive part. I. A privative part, which lies in the purging out of sin. Sin is compared to leaven, which sours; and to leprosy, which defiles. Sanctification purges out the old leaven.' I Cor 5:5. Though it takes not …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

John Bunyan on the Terms of Communion and Fellowship of Christians at the Table of the Lord;
COMPRISING I. HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH, AND REASON OF HIS PRACTICE; II. DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM NO BAR TO COMMUNION; AND III. PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE[1] ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Reader, these are extraordinary productions that will well repay an attentive perusal. It is the confession of faith of a Christian who had suffered nearly twelve years' imprisonment, under persecution for conscience sake. Shut up with his Bible, you have here the result of a prayerful study of those holy …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Concerning the Sacrament of Baptism
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to the riches of His mercy has at least preserved this one sacrament in His Church uninjured and uncontaminated by the devices of men, and has made it free to all nations and to men of every class. He has not suffered it to be overwhelmed with the foul and impious monstrosities of avarice and superstition; doubtless having this purpose, that He would have little children, incapable of avarice and superstition, to be initiated into …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Differences in Judgment About Water Baptism, no Bar to Communion: Or, to Communicate with Saints, as Saints, Proved Lawful.
IN ANSWER TO A BOOK WRITTEN BY THE BAPTISTS, AND PUBLISHED BY MR. T. PAUL AND MR. W. KIFFIN, ENTITLED, 'SOME SERIOUS REFLECTIONS ON THAT PART OF MR BUNYAN'S CONFESSION OF FAITH, TOUCHING CHURCH COMMUNION WITH UNBAPTIZED BELIEVERS.' WHEREIN THEIR OBJECTIONS AND ARGUMENTS ARE ANSWERED, AND THE DOCTRINE OF COMMUNION STILL ASSERTED AND VINDICATED. HERE IS ALSO MR. HENRY JESSE'S JUDGMENT IN THE CASE, FULLY DECLARING THE DOCTRINE I HAVE ASSERTED. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'Should not the multitude of words be answered? …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Greatness of the Soul,
AND UNSPEAKABLENESS 0F THE LOSS THEREOF; WITH THE CAUSES OF THE LOSING IT. FIRST PREACHED AT PINNER'S HALL and now ENLARGED AND PUBLISHED FOR GOOD. By JOHN BUNYAN, London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682 Faithfully reprinted from the Author's First Edition. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Our curiosity is naturally excited to discover what a poor, unlettered mechanic, whose book-learning had been limited to the contents of one volume, could by possibility know …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

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