# 1 Peter 2.18-20

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-08-18 | updated: 2026-08-18 -->

**Book:** [1 Peter](/codex/1-peter/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 16. as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God. 17. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
>
> **18. Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19. For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. 20. For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.**
>
> 21. For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22. who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (1 Peter 2:16-22, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 16. as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God. 17. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
>
> **18. Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked. 19. For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God. 20. For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.**
>
> 21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, 22. who did not sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:16-22, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. <sup>using: Gr. having</sup> 17. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. <sup>Honour all: or, Esteem all</sup>
>
> **18. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. <sup>thankworthy: or, thank</sup> 20. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. <sup>acceptable: or, thank</sup>**
>
> 21. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: <sup>for us: some read, for you</sup> 22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (1 Peter 2:16-22, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 16. as free, and not having the freedom as the cloak of the evil, but as servants of God; 17. to all give ye honour; the brotherhood love ye; God fear ye; the king honour ye.
>
> **18. The domestics! be subjecting yourselves in all fear to the masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the cross; 19. for this [is] gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously; 20. for what renown [is it], if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure [it]? but if, doing good and suffering [for it], ye do endure, this [is] gracious with God,**
>
> 21. for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps, 22. who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth, (1 Peter 2:16-22, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- [G4893 - syneidesis](/codex/g4893-syneidesis/), *syneidesis*, Strong's G4893
- [G5485 - charis](/codex/g5485-charis/), *charis*, Strong's G5485
- [G3956 - pas](/codex/g3956-pas/), *pas*, Strong's G3956
- [G2316 - theos](/codex/g2316-theos/), *theos*, Strong's G2316

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Biblical Slavery Objection Defeater](/codex/biblical-slavery-objection-defeater/), via [1 Peter 2.18](/codex/1-peter-2-18/)
- [Israelite Slavery Possession-vs-Ownership Defeater](/codex/israelite-slavery-possession-vs-ownership-defeater/), via [1 Peter 2.18](/codex/1-peter-2-18/)

**Concepts:**

- [Biblical Slavery Objection](/codex/biblical-slavery-objection/), via [1 Peter 2.18](/codex/1-peter-2-18/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G1401 - doulos](/codex/g1401-doulos/), via [1 Peter 2.18](/codex/1-peter-2-18/)

**Passages:**

- [1 Peter 2.21-22](/codex/1-peter-2-21-22/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.
