The Nugget:
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. (KJV)
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (ESV)
1Pe 3:12 The Lord watches over everyone who obeys him, and he listens to their prayers. But he opposes everyone who does evil.” (CEV)
My Comment:
I saw this verse on Facebook a few days ago. The Facebook meme did not include the last part of the verse, “but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”
Peter in his letter was quoting Psalm 34:15, 16,
Psa 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
Psa 34:16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. (KJV)
Psa 34:15 If you obey the LORD, he will watch over you and answer your prayers.
Psa 34:16 But God despises evil people, and he will wipe them all from the earth, till they are forgotten. (CEV)
There are many encouraging promises in this passage. Psalm 34:15 provides a condition, which if met, promises that in return for obedience God will watch over you and answer your prayers.
I posted a thorough study here of why some prayers are not answered (see Psalm 66:18). Psalm 34:15 provides an example of one reason the Bible gives: failure to obey the Lord.
The Bible is very clear that the Lord is against them that do evil. In our day, that might well mean that a great many individuals are in serious trouble in the light of eternity!
To dig further into what the Bible says about all these matters found in 1 Peter 3:12, read the cross references from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury shared below:
1 Peter 3:12
the eyes. FS22A7, +Deut 11:12. Deut 11:12, 2Ch 14:7; *2Ch 16:9, Ezr 5:5, Job 36:7, +Psa 11:4; Psa 33:18; +*>Psa 34:15; Psa 34:16, +*Pro 15:3, *Jer 24:6, Zec 4:10.
of the Lord. +*1Pe 2:3 note. Jas 5:4.
are over. Gen 39:21, Ezr 8:22, Psa 11:7, Jer 39:12.
the righteous. 2Pe 2:7.
his ears. +*Exo 22:23, 2Ch 7:15, Psa 5:1; Psa 10:17; Psa 34:6; Psa 55:1; Psa 65:2; +*Psa 77:1, *Pro 15:8; *Pro 15:29, Isa 37:17, +*Joh 9:31, +*Jas 5:4; +Jas 5:16.
prayers. Gr. deēsis (S# G1162, 1Ti 2:1). *1Jn 5:14; *1Jn 5:15.
but. Lev 17:10; Lev 20:3; Lev 20:5, 6; Lev 26:17, +*Psa 66:18; Psa 80:16, Jer 21:10; Jer 44:11, Eze 14:8; +Eze 15:7, Amos 9:4.
the face. FS22A4, +Gen 19:13, Lev 17:10; Lev 20:5, Psa 68:2, +Act 2:28.
against. Gr. upon. **+Gen 6:13 (T566). 2Sa 22:28, Psa 21:9; +Psa 34:16 (T303). *Jer 23:30, Lam 4:16, Eze 13:8; Eze 34:10, Amos 9:4.
do evil. +*Psa 34:16; +*Psa 37:9, Isa 14:20, 2Ti 3:13, Rev 11:18.