1 Peter 3:16

1 Peter 3:16

Having 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.

a. NLT: But do this in a gentle and respectful way.[fn] Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Having a good conscience, that in which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may be ashamed who are traducing your good behaviour in Christ; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: [And see to it that] your conscience is entirely clear ([e]unimpaired), so that, when you are falsely accused as evildoers, those who threaten you abusively and revile your right behavior in Christ may come to be ashamed [of slandering your good lives]. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “Having a good conscience…”

a. Having [Strong: 2192. echo ekh'-o, including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; (used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):--be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.]

b. [a] good [Strong: 18. agathos ag-ath-os' a primary word; "good" (in any sense, often as noun):--benefit, good(-s, things), well.]

c. conscience [Strong: 4893. suneidesis soon-i'-day-sis from a prolonged form of 4894; co-perception, i.e. moral consciousness:--conscience.]

1). Our conscience can be seared through hypocrisy and defiled. 

a). 1 Timothy 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

b). 1 Timothy 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

2). It can contribute to making shipwreck of our faith, 

a). 1 Timothy 1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

2. “...that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers…”

a. that [Strong: 2443. hina hin'-ah probably from the same as the former part of 1438 (through the demonstrative idea; compare 3588); in order that (denoting the purpose or the result):--albeit, because, to the intent (that), lest, so as, (so) that, (for) to.] 

b.  whereas [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

d. [they] speak evil [Strong: 2635. katalaleo kat-al-al-eh'-o from 2637; to be a traducer, i.e. to slander:--speak against (evil of).]

e. [of] you [Strong: 5216. humon hoo-mone' genitive case of 5210; of (from or concerning) you:--ye, you, your (own, -selves).]

f. as [Strong: 5613. hos hoce probably adverb of comparative from 3739; which how, i.e. in that manner (very variously used, as follows):--about, after (that), (according) as (it had been, it were), as soon (as), even as (like), for, how (greatly), like (as, unto), since, so (that), that, to wit, unto, when(-soever), while, X with all speed.]

g. evildoers [Strong: 2555. kakopoios kak-op-oy-os' from 2556 and 4160; a bad-doer; (specially), a criminal:--evil-doer, malefactor.]

3. “...they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”

a. [they] may be ashamed [Strong: 2617. kataischuno kat-ahee-skhoo'-no from 2596 and 153; to shame down, i.e. disgrace or (by implication) put to the blush:--confound, dishonour, (be a-, make a-)shame(-d).]

b. [Strong: 3588. [hoi] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [hoi] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

c. [that] falsely accuse [Strong: 1908. epereazo ep-ay-reh-ad'-zo from a comparative of 1909 and (probably) areia (threats); to insult, slander:--use despitefully, falsely accuse.]

d. your [Strong: 5216. humon hoo-mone' genitive case of 5210; of (from or concerning) you:--ye, you, your (own, -selves).]

e. good [Strong: 18. agathos ag-ath-os' a primary word; "good" (in any sense, often as noun):--benefit, good(-s, things), well.]

f. conversation [Strong: 391. anastrophe an-as-trof-ay' from 390; behavior:--conversation.]

g. in [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

h. Christ [Strong: 5547. Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]