let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just a passive call to avoid wrong and do right; it commands active pursuit. "Seek peace and pursue it" implies actively hunting down opportunities for peace, not just waiting for it to happen or settling for its absence. It’s about energetically and intentionally making peace happen in our interactions.
let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter is building on his instruction for Christians to live holy lives even amidst suffering and persecution, urging them to be a counter-cultural force for good. He's just explained that God hears the righteous, so now he's detailing what "righteous" living looks like in practice, emphasizing a proactive pursuit of peace and turning away from anything that causes harm. This advice is crucial for a community facing external hostility and internal pressure to retaliate or withdraw.
It's easy to think of 'not doing evil' as passive. But Peter calls for something much more intentional.
Turning Away From Evil
The verse doesn't just say 'don't do evil.' It uses the strong verb 'turn away.' This implies a conscious decision, a deliberate movement away from anything that is harmful, destructive, or ungodly. It's not about simply avoiding wrongdoing when it's convenient, but actively disengaging from its pull.
Doing Good
This turning away is immediately paired with 'do good.' These aren't separate instructions but interconnected actions. True goodness isn't just the absence of bad; it's the presence of positive, constructive, and life-affirming actions. It's about building up, serving, and reflecting God's character in our interactions.
Peace isn't just an absence of conflict; it's a state that requires diligent effort to find and keep.
Seeking and Pursuing Peace
The second part of the verse speaks about peace. The original language here uses two powerful verbs: 'seek' and 'pursue.' 'Seek' implies actively looking for it, investigating its presence, and understanding what it requires. 'Pursue' takes it a step further – it means to chase after it, to diligently follow it, even when it's difficult or requires effort.
This isn't a passive wish for harmony. It's an active commitment to reconciliation, understanding, and non-retaliation. It’s about creating an environment where peace can flourish, even when others might not be doing the same.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
kakos · Greek Adjective/Noun
Refers to moral wickedness, corruption, or that which is contrary to God's character and will; it encompasses both sinful deeds and malicious intent.
eirēnē · Greek Noun
The state of wholeness, well-being, and harmony, both between God and man and among people. It represents the wholeness that results from living in right relationship with God.
This verse echoes the Psalmist's call to actively abandon wrongdoing and actively seek out and pursue peace, painting a consistent picture of a life committed to good.
Matthew 5:9Jesus' beatitude declares 'Blessed are the peacemakers,' directly aligning with Peter's charge to not only seek peace but to actively pursue it, highlighting its divine blessing.
Romans 12:18Paul urges believers to 'live peaceably with all,' reinforcing Peter's command to 'pursue' peace, indicating that a peaceful life requires diligent effort and intentionality.
1 John 4:7This passage teaches that 'love is from God' and that 'everyone who loves has been born of God,' connecting Peter's instruction to 'do good' with the very source and motivation of all genuine goodness and peace.
This verse isn't just a passive call to avoid wrong and do right; it commands active pursuit. "Seek peace and pursue it" implies actively hunting down opportunities for peace, not just waiting for it to happen or settling for its absence. It’s about energetically and intentionally making peace happen in our interactions.
Peter is building on his instruction for Christians to live holy lives even amidst suffering and persecution, urging them to be a counter-cultural force for good. He's just explained that God hears the righteous, so now he's detailing what "righteous" living looks like in practice, emphasizing a proactive pursuit of peace and turning away from anything that causes harm. This advice is crucial for a community facing external hostility and internal pressure to retaliate or withdraw.
Peter is building on his instruction for Christians to live holy lives even amidst suffering and persecution, urging them to be a counter-cultural force for good. He's just explained that God hears the righteous, so now he's detailing what "righteous" living looks like in practice, emphasizing a proactive pursuit of peace and turning away from anything that causes harm. This advice is crucial for a community facing external hostility and internal pressure to retaliate or withdraw.
"let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it." — This verse isn't just a passive call to avoid wrong and do right; it commands active pursuit. "Seek peace and pursue it" implies actively hunting down opportunities for peace, not just waiting for it…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026