The Nugget:
1 Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: (KJV)
1Pe 2:15 God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right. (GW, God’s Word translation)
1Pe 2:15 For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good things you do. (GNB, Good News Bible)
1Pe 2:15 God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)
1Pe 2:15 For God’s will is this–that you should silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right. (TCNT, Twentieth Century New Testament)
My Comment:
I shared the following quotation with many of my students:
“Live so that when men speak ill of you, nobody will believe them.” Anonymous
That is an important key to maintaining a good reputation.
Many times you will be misunderstood. You will be the focus of those who think they can bully you by their efforts to tarnish your reputation or character. This certainly takes place in schools–I experienced this first hand both as a student and as a teacher.
God’s will is that we put to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right.
This represents the fourth instance of the direct statement of God’s will for each of us.
To understand 1 Peter 2:15, we must take it in its immediate context–what comes before and what comes after:
Submission to Authority
1Pe 2:13 Submit to all human institutions for the Lord’s sake, alike to the emperor as the supreme authority,
1Pe 2:14 and to governors as the men sent by him to punish evil-doers and to commend those who do right.
1Pe 2:15 For God’s will is this–that you should silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right.
1Pe 2:16 Act as free men, yet not using your freedom as those do who make it a cloak for wickedness, but as Servants of God. (TCNT)
An attitude and practice of submission is the key to obeying God’s will.
This may be a very hard requirement for most of us to conform to in our various relations to those who have authority over us. Nevertheless, it is important that we conform to God’s expressed will.
There are exceptions to the general rule–even Peter firmly voiced an exception himself as recorded in Acts 5:29,
Acts 5:29
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
King James Version
Much more could be said about God’s will as it is taught in the Bible. You can find much more by studying the cross references given below.
Cross Reference Bible Study for 1 Peter 2:15 from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
1 Peter 2:15
For so. or, Thus is. +1Pe 3:17.
the will. Gr. thelēma (S# G2307, Gal 1:4). 1Pe 4:2, +*Mat 6:10; *Mat 7:21; Mat 18:14, Eph 6:6, 7, Col 1:9, +1Th 4:3; 1Th 5:18.
with. See on +1Pe 2:12, Job 5:16, Psa 107:42, *Tit 2:8.
well doing. Gr. agathopoieō [(S# G15): Rendered (1) do good: Mar 3:4, Luk 6:9; Luk 6:33 (twice), Luk 6:35, Act 14:17, 3Jn 1:11, (2) well doing: 1Pe 2:15; 1Pe 3:17, (3) do well: 1Pe 2:20; 1Pe 3:6]. 1Pe 2:12, 1Pe 4:19, Gen 30:29, Neh 5:9, Isa 5:16, Mat 5:14, 15, 16, +Act 14:17, Gal 6:9, Col 3:23.
put to silence. Gr. phimoō (S# G5392, Mat 22:12). Deut 25:4, *Dan 6:4; *Dan 6:5, *Mat 22:12; *Mat 22:34, Mar 1:25; Mar 4:39, 1Co 9:9, 1Ti 5:18, *Tit 2:8.
the ignorance. Gr. agnōsia (S# G56, only here and 1Co 15:34). Job 35:16, Joh 16:3, Act 3:17; Act 17:7, 1Co 15:34 g. Eph 5:17, 1Ti 1:13, 2Pe 2:12, Jud 1:10.
foolish. Gr. aphrōn (S# G878, Luk 11:40). +Deut 32:6, Job 2:10, Psa 5:5, Pro 1:7; Pro 9:6, Jer 4:22, Mat 7:26; Mat 25:2, Mar 7:22, Rom 1:21, Gal 3:1, Tit 3:3.