Home › Bible verses › 1 Peter 3:15

1 Peter 3:15

“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:”

1 Peter 3:15, King James Version (KJV)

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,”

World English Bible (WEB)

Read 1 Peter 3:15 in the NIV, ESV and 13 more Bibles, with study notes and the original Greek, in the Path & Light app.

1 Peter 3 (KJV)

  1. 1Likewise, 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;
  2. 2While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
  3. 3Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
  4. 4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
  5. 5For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
  6. 6Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
  7. 7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
  8. 8Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
  9. 9Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
  10. 10For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
  11. 11Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
  12. 12For 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.
  13. 13And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
  14. 14But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
  15. 15But 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:
  16. 16Having 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.
  17. 17For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
  18. 18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
  19. 19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
  20. 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
  21. 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
  22. 22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Related verses

Passages that readers often connect with 1 Peter 3:15, in the King James Version.

  • Colossians 4:6

    Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

  • 2 Timothy 2:25–26

    In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; …

  • Luke 21:14–15

    Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: …

  • 1 Peter 3:2

    While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

  • 1 Samuel 12:7

    Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.

  • Matthew 10:18–20

    And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. …

More verses about witness

Study 1 Peter 3:15 in the app

Read it in the NIV, ESV and 13 more Bibles, see every related verse, and ask what it means. Join the waitlist and we’ll email you once, at launch.

Read our Privacy Policy for how we handle your email. One message at launch, nothing else.

1769 standardized text (eBible.org eng-kjv). Public domain outside the United Kingdom. Text courtesy of the Crosswire Bible Society and eBible.org. World English Bible Protestant Edition (eBible engwebp, 2026-09-15 snapshot). Public domain. World English Bible is a trademark of eBible.org. Text unmodified; footnotes and formatting omitted. Related verses: OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0), from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.