1 Peter 3 · Verse 2

1 Peter 3:2

While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
1 Peter 3:2, King James Version

1 Peter 3:2 in other translations

BSBwhen they see your pure and reverent demeanor.
WEBseeing your pure behavior in fear.
ASVbeholding your chaste behavior coupled with fear.
YLThaving beheld your pure behaviour in fear,
DARBYhaving witnessed your pure conversation carried out in fear;
BBEWhen they see your holy behaviour in the fear of God.
WebsterWhile they behold your chaste manner of life coupled with fear.

What does 1 Peter 3:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. behold--on narrowly looking into it, literally, "having closely observed." chaste--pure, spotless, free from all impurity. fear--reverential, towards your husbands. Scrupulously pure, as opposed to the noisy, ambitious character of worldly women.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. While they behold your chaste conversation. Your pure conduct. The word chaste here (αγνην) refers to purity of conduct in all respects, and not merely to chastity properly so called. It includes that, but it also embraces much more. The conduct of the wife is to be in all respects pure; and this is to be the grand instrumentality in the conversion of her husband. A wife may be strictly chaste, and yet there may be many other things in her conduct and temper which would mar the beauty of her piety, and prevent any happy influence on the mind of her husband.

Coupled with fear. The word fear, in this place, may refer either to the fear of God, or to a proper respect and reverence for their husbands, Eph 5:33. The trait of character which is referred to is that of proper respect and reverence in all the relations which she sustained, as opposed to a trifling and frivolous mind. Leighton suggests that the word fear here relates particularly to the other duty enjoined--that of chaste conversation--"fearing the least stain of chastity, or the very appearance of anything not suiting with it. It is a delicate, timorous grace, afraid of the least air, or shadow of anything that hath but a resemblance of wronging it, in carriage, or speech, or apparel."

(+) "conversation" "behaviour" (++) "fear" "reverence"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Chaste conversation - with fear - While they see that ye join modesty, chastity, and the purest manners, to the fear of God. Or perhaps fear, φοβος, is taken, as in Eph 5:33, for the reverence due to the husband.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Peter 3:1-7

The wife must discharge her duty to her own husband, though he obey not the word. We daily see how narrowly evil men watch the ways and lives of professors of religion. Putting on of apparel is not forbidden, but vanity and costliness in ornament. Religious people should take care that all their behaviour answers to their profession. But how few know the right measure and bounds of those two necessaries of life…

Read the full comment on 1 Peter 3:1-7 →

1 Peter 3:2 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐποπτεύσαντεςepopteusanteshaving witnessedG2029
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἐνeninG1722
φόβῳphobōrespectG5401
ἁγνὴνhagnēnpureG53
ἀναστροφὴνanastrophēnconductG391
ὑμῶν·humōnof you;G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Peter 3:2

  • 1 Peter 2:12

    Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

  • 1 Peter 1:15

    But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

  • Philippians 1:27

    Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

  • Ephesians 5:33

    Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

  • 2 Peter 3:11

    Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

  • Ephesians 6:5

    Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

  • 1 Peter 3:15-16

    But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

  • 1 Peter 3:5-6

    For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

  • Colossians 3:22

    Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

  • Philippians 3:20

    For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

  • 1 Timothy 4:12

    Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
behold.
16; 1:15; 2:12; Php 1:27; 3:20; 1Ti 4:12; 2Pe 3:11
with.
5,6,15; Eph 5:33; 6:5; Col 3:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Peter 3:1

    Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

  • 1 Peter 3:2

    While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

  • 1 Peter 3:3

    Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

Read all of 1 Peter 3

1 Peter 3:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Considerando vuestra casta conversación, que es en temor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		ayant observé la pureté de votre conduite dans la crainte,
German
Elberfelder 1871		indem sie euren in Furcht keuschen Wandel angeschaut haben;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		considerantes in timore castam conversationem vestram.